why are king snakes good first time snake pets but not

rat or pine snakes? the rat snake i held did not musk me the way the king snake did

the only thing i can say to that is each snake has a "known" temperament but every snake is different. You may come across a known aggressive species but actually find the most docile snake.. ya never know

I have a ball python, a boa constrictor (BCI), and a northern pine snake. I got them in that order over about 1.5 years. In my opinion the northern pine snake (at least this one, I don't know about others?) would make just as good as a first snake as the ball python did for me.

Obviously there can be differences, but I have not heard that a northern pine snake would not make a good first snake. I can suggest one but I have only had one.

I would recommend a Pine Snake, Corn Snake, or Western Hognose as a first snake without hesitation. Husbandry is about the same except my Hognose which I keep a bit warmer. I don't have a Milk Snake or King Snake but I'm sure they are great 1st snakes too. Each snake is different as far as attitude, the more you handle them when they are little the better they are. My Pine did a lot of hissing and tail rattling at first but settled down within a week or two.

I think it has a lot to do with where you are at geographically. Kingsnakes have always been really big on the West Coast.
In addition, kings have been bred in high volume for a very long period of time relative to most gopher/bull snakes.
I would say that most rat snakes are some of the best beginner snakes there are.