when can i see my snake is ready to bite

werled · 08-29-17, 09:22 AM

how can i see if my snake bites me i have a cali kings snake and if i pick her up she instantly goes to my hand, havent handled got her 2 months now. anyone has some tips on handling and when my snake is readying for a attack

Thanks

Scubadiver59 · 08-29-17, 09:39 AM

Either use a snake hook to support the neck, a few inches back from the head, and then use your other hand to reach under the snake and lift up. You can guide the head away from your hand. Keep this up until the snake recognizes what you're doing.

Sometimes I just use my other hand to distract the snake and then use the "free" hand to lift up the snake. This doesn't always work, and the snake hook might be necessary all the time, but my three Kings have never tried to bite. I had to use the two-hand method last night for my Yellow Rat--she was coiled a little and I couldn't be sure I was going to be tagged--but once I had my free hand under her, she was no problem once out of the tank.

Also, some snakes are enclosure defensive, but once they are out, they are easy to handle; however, some snakes remain that way for life, so you'll just have to get used to it if that happens.

TRD · 08-29-17, 11:09 AM

What do you mean with "instantly goes to my hand" as in mouth open striking, or just cruising around. Kingsnakes don't generally bite unless you smell like food. When they go into defensive mode, trust me, you'll know...

You can just stick your hand in, and let the snake come to you. If it then still bites you, then likely she is just hungry. One of my (actually my girlfriends newest one) little cali came out of shed yesterday and wasn't fed in 8 days because of that. He was so hungry he decided to eat a plastic bag which I had to pry out of his mouth.

OMNOMNOMNOM

regi375 · 08-30-17, 04:00 AM

Generally they'll get into the "S" position when they're defensive, shake their tail like a rattle snake, ect. My Cali king has never bitten me. She'll get curious about my hand if I stick it in there, but has never bitten. Chances are you won't take a bite from your snake, and even if you do, it doesn't really matter. The bite won't even hurt and all the bleeding you'll do is two tiny dots. I still recommend using a snake hook to just get the snake out of the enclosure at first though.