# CALLING ALL SNAKE OWNERS!



## black_piranha (Jan 12, 2006)

hey guys. i have a baby footlong king cal. i bought this guy back in febuary and had fed it once a week since then. mine still has not shed and still the same size. mine is also not tame and i was wondering what i am doing wrong that my king cal has not been growing and still not tame. well i think i know why it isnt tame still and has been getting worst. i got bit by it the first week i bought it. just scratched me. yesterday it bit me again, gave me a small blood mark this time, like a need poking u. everytime i stick my hand near it, it curls up and rattles its tail... than strikes many times.

how many times should i hold my snake and how long a day? or couple days a week or what?
is it normal for my king cal to still have not grown a single bit? i mean, i fed it once a week, itz in a plastic kritter cage, the largest one which is the size of a 10gal tank, but shorter in height. has a shallow water bowl for it to soak in, but i found out my snake hates water!

thanks for the replies.


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## bjmarche (Jun 30, 2005)

I'm having problems with my King Cali too. He's not getting tame at all. He has his moments, but he musks alot. Supposedly, if you handle him for like an hour a day, in like 2 weeks he sohuld be used to it. If he hasn't grown, try feeding him two pinkies or mice, instead of one.


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## r1dermon (Mar 9, 2005)

baby snakes are usually nippy...grab some gloves and handle him a few minutes every day, he should tame down...just a question...does he strike at your face? or just your hands/arms...?


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## huntx7 (Nov 13, 2004)

What's his feeding schedule? What about the temperature and cage environment?

As far as the temperment, that's easy to take care of with snakes like this.
Several suggestions:
1. Pick him up (with gloves if you don't want to get bit) and place him in a pillow case... then let him set next to you for 30 minutes a day in the case until you notice some improvement.
2. Handle him using gloves.
3. Place a shirt that you wore for a while that has your scent on it in his cage.
4. Disassociate your hand and his cage with feeding (feed him out of the cage, and with tongs)
5. Put a hiding box for your snake to curl up in when he's feeling insecure

You fed it one week since february? That might explain why he's not growing...

Need a little bit more information and I can definitely help you guys out. Send me a PM if you want...


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## black_piranha (Jan 12, 2006)

yea, he strikes at whatever he can get at. at first itz bite was like a pinch. bit me all the time but a couple days ago i noticed itz been gettin maybe sharper teeth? so yea, gettin worried. mine also musks crazy. his cage as i stated is one of those kritter cages. bedding is ZooMed Aspen Snake Bedding. umm to be specific wid cage, itz a Lee's Herp Haven cage, 17.75"W X 12"D X 7"H are the dimensions. theres a plastic shallow pot holder and water wid a stone for it to soak in and never goes in there. also, i have no heat for this guy because my room is like 70-80 degrees always.

good enough?


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

ALL baby snakes are nippy they will calm down. Feed him once a week two pinkies (hes growing) Do not handle after feeding until you see poop.


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

Omnius said:


> ALL baby snakes are nippy they will calm down. Feed him once a week two pinkies (hes growing) Do not handle after feeding until you see poop.


dude- you dont have to wait to see poop to handle... usually you just need to wait 24-48 hours after eating... my boa craps like twice a month is all


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## piranhasrule (May 31, 2004)

I'd say that not having a heat mat for it, and just relying on room temp is a bad thing. Not sure about kings, but I know most snakes need a viv with temperature gradients. Hot at one end and slightly cooler at the other end. If you just use room temp to heat it then the whole enclosure will be the same temp.

To avoid getting bitten by it when its in its tank, always make sure its aware of your presense before you stick your hand in. Imagine if you were the snake and something as big as a human snuck up on you and tried grabbing you. I bet you'd bite out. Snakes don't have eyelids so its sometimes hard to tell whether its awake or not. Apparently the most common reason for getting bitten is because people try picking up there snakes as they are sleeping or shortly after. So always tap on the side of the tank to make it aware of you. And maybe rub your hands in the substrate so you smell less like human. Of course, that probably doesnt help if your snake is just an evil bugger.


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

brutusbeefcake said:


> ALL baby snakes are nippy they will calm down. Feed him once a week two pinkies (hes growing) Do not handle after feeding until you see poop.


dude- you dont have to wait to see poop to handle... usually you just need to wait 24-48 hours after eating... my boa craps like twice a month is all
[/quote]

Oh Well I just try to avoid regurgitation. Thanks for that info!


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## black_piranha (Jan 12, 2006)

ehhh he sees my presence and he coils up and tries to bite me... so i juss reach in there quickly and calm him down. i think hes just plain scared of ppl and wants to bite tha sh*t out of them.


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

Once you handle him don't put him back when he bites you or it will learn that it can use biting to get its way.


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## huntx7 (Nov 13, 2004)

black_piranha said:


> yea, he strikes at whatever he can get at. at first itz bite was like a pinch. bit me all the time but a couple days ago i noticed itz been gettin maybe sharper teeth? so yea, gettin worried. mine also musks crazy. his cage as i stated is one of those kritter cages. bedding is ZooMed Aspen Snake Bedding. umm to be specific wid cage, itz a Lee's Herp Haven cage, 17.75"W X 12"D X 7"H are the dimensions. theres a plastic shallow pot holder and water wid a stone for it to soak in and never goes in there. also, i have no heat for this guy because my room is like 70-80 degrees always.
> 
> good enough?


Well, there's a problem... snakes need heat! Try to raise the warm side to about 88 degrees and the cool side to 78. What's the humidity at?

Do that, place a hiding spot in there and then try the techniques I told you and you'll have him tame in no time.


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## pamonster (Jun 26, 2003)

I would make sure that all his requirements are being met. Temp and humidity are extremely important. Make sure he has a few hides too. As for him liking to bite you, that he may have to grow out of. Even som of the most docile snakes will nip when they are young. My Honduran bit me every time I took him out. Good luck.


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## black_piranha (Jan 12, 2006)

crap, i guess i dont have every requirements met for him. humidity idunno. heat? i have a light bulb to warm things up.

i held it yesterday, ran away from in the cage tha whole time. i picked it up and had it in my hand and the snake is startled by everything surround it. i had it wraped on my hand doin hw... i was writing and was rattling itz tail mad crazy and tried to bite my pencil.. will he stop gettin scared after awhile?


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

wash your hands good or even spray some perfume or cologne on them... give yourself a scent that he can associate you with? you might just have a pissy snake?


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## black_piranha (Jan 12, 2006)

brutusbeefcake said:


> wash your hands good or even spray some perfume or cologne on them... give yourself a scent that he can associate you with? you might just have a pissy snake?


wont the cologne make the snake all dizzy?


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

i hope your kidding


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## black_piranha (Jan 12, 2006)

brutusbeefcake said:


> i hope your kidding


huh?


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## r1dermon (Mar 9, 2005)

dont use cologne, they're oily and are not good for snakes. just wash your hand with soap before handling him.


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## black_piranha (Jan 12, 2006)

r1dermon said:


> dont use cologne, they're oily and are not good for snakes. just wash your hand with soap before handling him.


yeap.


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

I heard that the brand Joop can drive them into a biting frenzy, because they uuse civit cat "extracts" in some brands.


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

ok ok ok the main point here was to give your hands a different scent here! i wash mine before i pick my boa up everytime


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## r1dermon (Mar 9, 2005)

if its a real problem, you may want to try a small snakehook for the time being...get the snake out of its cage with the hook and then see how tempermental he is when you approach him. my tree boa is extremely nippy normally, but when i put him on a snake hook, he calmed down considerably...that's not to say he still didnt strike, he would just stay in a non-striking pose most of the time.


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