Jungle corn-king pics

[vanderkm]

As hybrids these guys are not acceptable to everyone, but I like having a pair to be able to show people what the crosses look like and I have to admit I love the way these two are turning out.

These siblings are from jungle to jungle breeding - an albino male by a normal (het albino) female, bred by friends of ours here in Edmonton. They are getting more intense yellow coloration with every shed and are about 8 months old now and just taking young adult mice - as you can see from the bulge in the male's belly - was fed a couple days before this photo.

Normal male

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/509/6304_Feb_21_Sing_8_reduced.jpg

Albino female
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/509/6304_Feb_21_Bangle_2_reduced.jpg

[gonesnakee]

Looking Good Mary! I like the female, Mark

[crazyboy]

i like the way the look. but im not sure if i would buy a hybird. very nice snake you have there i personally like the normals.

[beth wallbank]

Beautiful looking snakes!! I bought a jungle male last summer.
He is very much like the one in the top photo, more yellower though, and smaller brown bandings. My question to you and Mark is, with age do they mellow out? This guy is like a cobra, hates everyone and anything you put near him. Even though he is only about 15" and a bit thicker than a pencil now, I don't dare try to hold him without thin gloves. He thinks I am dinner every time. Any suggestions?

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

vanderkm:

Are you by any chance a member of the Edmonton Reptile & Amphibian Society? If you are i remeber a lady bringing a jungle and albino corn and also a ghost and a few others. I was sitting across the table from her. Im Chris(haha obviously). Anyways beatiful snakes you got there!

beth wallbank:

Do you have other snakes? Do you ever handle any other herps before handling your jungle? Because kings eat almost anything, that might be why. Just a thought.

Chris

[vanderkm]

Chris - that was me - I have been a member of ERAS for quite a while now and try to take a few of the critters out to most meetings. You should introduce yourself in person at the next meeting - I tend to remember people's critters easier than the people themselves - maybe you can bring some of your collection to the next meeting.

Beth - Mark can likely give you a better idea than I can as these are the first two jungle corn-kings I have raised. We got their father as a yearling and he was much like a cal king - food crazy but not at all aggressive to people.

These two are incredibly sweet - I was expecting that they might be more freaky than our corns, but the female will just spend all her time wrapped on your wrist. The male is a bit more alert - but has never threatened to bite - though they both have great feeding responses. I suspect a lot depends on the parent lines - what their temperaments were like. I have also found that some of my corns that I have force-fed have associated being handled with a traumatic experience and they will actually strike at me (not that I blame them) so perhaps your little guy experienced something traumatic associated with being handled.

I have borrowed the 'towel method' from people who raise parrots to calm my baby hondurans and it has worked very well. Basically I pick them up within a towel and confine them in it, only handling them thorugh it, not with my hands. I usually have it on a table so there is no danger of them falling. They bury themselves in the folds, it is dark and they gradually become accustomed to more and more restraint and handling through the towel. No danger of being bitten or pooped on and they don't seem nearly as stressed by that style of handling. Hard to explain, easier to demonstrate, but might be worth a try.

mary v.

[beth wallbank]

thanks for reply...yes I have almost 80 other snakes, this one being the most mental. I have tried the towel method as well but to avail. He LOVES human flesh..lol. If it werent for him being so darned pretty.........

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Ok, cause I have found that even after washing my hands and arms well, twice, with two different soaps, and putting on a reptile cream stuff, I still got bit and constricted on the wrist by a king snake and it would not let go. LOL. I still have the scars and that was 4-5 mths ago! Since it is still so small, I wouldnt worry about getting bit by such a little creature. Ive been bit alot by different herps and the worst bite was the king and it was about 4'3" long. It didnt really hurt. I would just keep working with it bare handed that way it gets used to what you hope to be doing(i assume).

Chris

BTW. vanderkm, im 13, I was sitting almost directly across the table from you at the last meeting. Brown hair, blond streaks.

[gonesnakee]

Beth, sounds like you have one with attitude. Most of mine have been very Corn like in temperment (IE: WIMPS) I've had a few that had the major CK attitude as babies, but they have all mellowed with age & handling. I think you'll find that if it doesn't calm down after the first year, it will be one of those odd specimens that doesn't. Doesn't sound mean, but more like a killer feeding response. I've had CK's that try to eat me every single time no matter what & they just stay that way, unless they have a full belly & even then some are still bitey. Think of it as a compliment from your snake to you. Just trying to tell ya that you are tasty! LOL Mark
P.S. Is it just you that it bites or everyone. I've had snakes that could be handled by different people no problems & as soon as they come to me wham bitey-bitey. I think that certain snakes just don't like certain people & that they like the taste of certain people also LOL not nessicarily the people, but their scents. M.I.

[Katt]

I absolutely love the male!!!!!

I find jungles pretty fiesty. My two yr olds are still a bit fiesty, but no biting. They really take on king attitude.