How bitey are calkings?

[AjBalls]

I've been plotting on getting into kingsnakes for some while now. Just about everyone I've seen bites or attempts to though? I was at my buddys place last week and I was helping give his snakes water and every single (maybe 50) calking came out of the tub lunging at and some biting me. And he said they were all fed 3 days ago. So I'm thinking if I get into them, should I be expecting/anticipating a bite every single day? Even ones that aren't my friends have seemed bitey. Most people warn me that the kings that I'm potentially interested in bite.

[oliverstwist]

at first our Cal King was a snippy girl but after time and a few misses she has turned into a great snake

if you want one go ahead ours is white with black speckles all over her and is a great looking snake

[MarkS]

Some of my kingsnakes are the nippiest snakes I've got and will latch on and never let go, others are the calmest snakes I've got and have never bit me. It's really a toss up.

[Bitis_Gabonica]

Most Cal. Kings that I have worked with are bitey. But all you really have to do to tame them is to handle them regularly and let them explore (just don't let them get away). Also make sure that you Do Not have the scent of a rodent on you when working with a Cal. King because they will bite, aggressively, at any scent of a rodent. Hope this helps.

[Neal]

A lot of cali kings can be nippy, then some can be calm like as stated above. Just with routine handling and showing them that you won't harm them they will settle down. Your friend has 50 or so you said, which means he probably doesn't get to handle them all and very often if so.

[JandDReptiles]

Many Cals are ready to snap at ya..lol. My Lavender albino female hates when anything comes near he cage and is ready to snag me when my hand goes in. It's part of having kings.... HOWEVER! My chocolate cal king is one of the tamest kings I have ever seen! It depends on the snake, and how often it's handled.


-Jeremy

[Crusader71]

My caliking has never even attempted to bite me , she is sooo easy going.

[wilomn]

I've had one or two of these little guys, bred a few too.

I'd say about 70% of the babies, right out of the egg mind you, will first poop on you, then bite, then try to rub the poop in the bite.

It's just the way they are.

However, with regular handling and feeding, they calm down to one of the best snakes you'll ever have.

The only drawback to CalKings is the attitude of some of the babies.

[rabernet]

To date (probably have just jinxed myself), my calking has never attempted to bite me. He used to musk all the time as a baby, but he no longer musks and is a very calm little fella. Being the only colubrid in my collection, I think he thinks he's really a ball python!

[omnibus2]

Intruiging.*

There was one calking at an animal center I used to volunteer, it was adult and it was amazingly tame; never bit or struggled at all.