Is it normal for kingsnakes to try to EAT people?!

So I won a beautiful hypo brooksi from an auction on facebook.

She is a complete psycho.

Whenever I open the cage door she LUNGES at me. She's a yearling, and not terribly big, but so freaking aggressive. Even when the cage lid is not open she watches me and tries to get at me from behind the glass.

So today I was cleaning cages, and figured I would hold her again to try and settle her down. The first time I held her I had received a bite, but still had moderate success.

I pick her up, she's fine for a few seconds, then she bites me. No big deal, she's bitten me before. She bites me again. And again. And again.

By this time I have received probably close to 10 bites from her, everywhere from my fingers to the palm of my hand. She is rattling her tail, but the bites seem more like food bites than defensive bites. She even bites herself a few times. :rolleyes:

Then she gets the tip of my finger, and before I have time to react, she SWALLOWS my finger up to the first knuckle. So now I have this 2 foot long snake with my finger down her throat, pulling against me and doing the best she can to try to eat my finger.

I can't just rip her off my finger without hurting her, so I hold her under a blast of lukewarm water for a good 2 minutes before she FINALLY lets go.

It's not like I'm starving her. :confused:

I've heard they will attempt to eat anything that can fit in their mouth, even fingers. Especially if you smell like another snake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18ISv-F7kJk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeyUrCDY9OU

http://i42.tinypic.com/5l0uo1.jpg

Wow, I washed my hands before handling her, but I guess it wasn't enough.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LGray23

http://i42.tinypic.com/5l0uo1.jpg

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I burst out laughing when I saw this. I have titled it OmNomNom in my brain. :P

OP - I suggest scrubbing your hands/arms between any other snake, reptile, mammal or FOOD before handling this snake. It might see you as food, or possibly an enemy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Xotik

I burst out laughing when I saw this. I have titled it OmNomNom in my brain. :P

OP - I suggest scrubbing your hands/arms between any other snake, reptile, mammal or FOOD before handling this snake. It might see you as food, or possibly an enemy.

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Yeah, I did wash my hands, but she definitely saw me as food. The picture you quoted is EXACTLY what happened.

I think Brooksie are sometime crazy. I had one brooksie and she was very sweet. No matter how sweet she was, some times she thought my hand is food. I got many close call with her jaw.


You can try with "Listerine". One time she tried to squeeze and swallow the whole plastic bag of rats and won't let go. I have pic of her hanging in the mid air while sinking her teeth in plastic bag (impressive jaw strength like pitbull). I asked my wife to get Listerin on q-tip and touch her nose. She immediately dropped the bag and started to rub her nose on the tub... LOL

Feed it...Kingsnakes are gluttons with fast metabolisms. Especially young growing kings.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AGoldReptiles

Feed it...Kingsnakes are gluttons with fast metabolisms. Especially young growing kings.

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Well, she ate less than 48 hours ago.

I tried handling her again after I took a shower, and there were no bites. So I think I must have had snake scent on me despite washing my hands.

With a good feeding regime and frequent handling most kings stop this behavior.

I tried handling her again tonight. She only tried to eat me twice, so I think we're making progress. :P