Thinking about getting a MBK? Help!!

A breeder nearby has one male MBK left and he is gorgeous. They're one of my dream snakes but I'm unsure because of the musking and random biting I've read about. I've never been bit by a snake before and admittedly, I'm afraid of it.

He says this boy is eating very well and tame, but he does musk a little bit when he's picked up. Is that something he'll grow out of?

I know these guys are cannibalistic. Can they be housed in the same space as other snakes or will that make them pissy? I keep all my snakes in the same small room, pretty close together, so after quarantine he'd be with two ball pythons and a brazilian rainbow boa...

What size tub would this guy need?

This is the little guy. He's so gorgeous that he melts my heart...

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psyeuy47xh.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pslvtkpu3d.jpg

I have one - a female - in a rack with other king and milk snakes and she is fine.

They are voracious feeders but the only time mine bit me was because I had been handling mice and she thought my pinky was a pinkie. Even with it being a bite/wrap food response it didn't hurt.

Mine didn't have a musking issue but my milk snake did. Lots of very brief handling sessions eventually taught him that being picked up was a non-event.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I have one - a female - in a rack with other king and milk snakes and she is fine.

They are voracious feeders but the only time mine bit me was because I had been handling mice and she thought my pinky was a pinkie. Even with it being a bite/wrap food response it didn't hurt.

Mine didn't have a musking issue but my milk snake did. Lots of very brief handling sessions eventually taught him that being picked up was a non-event.

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Is the musking really bad?

With my brb, I wasn't comfortable getting her out of the tub because she got really hissy and pulled into a striking pose. I have to use a hook with her and I probably would with him, too. It takes me a little bit to trust my snakes and I'm a little nervous about him lol.

Little black beauty :)

My female never snapping or musking if I handle her, but my male is nasty. He try to get me if I open his tub, and musking a lot when handled. Keep some paper towel in hand, and don't wear your sunday suit. Is not as bad, but can make some mess in your hands.

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Originally Posted by Felidae

Little black beauty :)

My female never snapping or musking if I handle her, but my male is nasty. He try to get me if I open his tub, and musking a lot when handled. Keep some paper towel in hand, and don't wear your sunday suit. Is not as bad, but can make some mess in your hands.

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The guy says he's pretty tame which is why I want him. I know some can be downright nasty but if he's already tame as a baby, I don't really see that changing unless he's neglected and my snakes are taken care of pretty well lol.

I just don't want to get a MBK and end up not liking him because he keeps musking or biting me. So I'm torn between getting the MBK or just getting another ball. I'm comfortable with those guys since I have two.

Why not go and handle the little guy to see what he's like? My MBK female never musked and is just a doll to handle, unless your hand smells like rodent.

The milk snake that did musk did it while trying to flee, which made him very difficult to hang on to as he was tiny and would spring out of your hands at every opportunity. He was obviously just scared.

I have a year-old Honduran Milk that I call my juvenile delinquent snake. Musk is pretty strong - a small dose on your hands calls for soap and water, definitely. A couple weeks ago he got my my skirt with a big dose. I held him until he calmed down, then bolted to change clothes.

My husband's baby albino milk is occasionally nippy, and has musked a bit, but it hasn't been too bad - I think because he's more scared. My Honduran ... He's just plain ornery (the guy I got him from suggested he'll still grow out of it with age and regular handling)

Definitely meet and handle the snake, see if he seems nervous, or cranky.


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MBK's are beautiful snakes. My girl was a little flighty in the beginning but she doesn't bite or musk. She did strike at me once during a feeding but it was my fault. My Cal King would musk a little when he was younger but that's about it in terms of defensive behavior. Your guy looks young so any potential bites wouldn't hurt much at all. If he is a little nippy just put on a glove and let him do his thing. Eventually he'll realize it's not doing any good and he should stop. Best wishes.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Why not go and handle the little guy to see what he's like? My MBK female never musked and is just a doll to handle, unless your hand smells like rodent.

The milk snake that did musk did it while trying to flee, which made him very difficult to hang on to as he was tiny and would spring out of your hands at every opportunity. He was obviously just scared.

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Well, the guy is going to drive an hour to bring him to me on Wednesday. I'll see the little guy then but he'll be stressed out from the ride so I can't judge him on that. I don't want to make this guy drive him here and then not take him and make him drive an hour back =\

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

MBK's are beautiful snakes. My girl was a little flighty in the beginning but she doesn't bite or musk. She did strike at me once during a feeding but it was my fault. My Cal King would musk a little when he was younger but that's about it in terms of defensive behavior. Your guy looks young so any potential bites wouldn't hurt much at all. If he is a little nippy just put on a glove and let him do his thing. Eventually he'll realize it's not doing any good and he should stop. Best wishes.

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I was thinking about getting a pair of gloves. I would only use them until I'm used to him. I think it'll help me bond with him because I won't be nervous while holding him. I just need time to get used to him lol. I think that's a good idea. I'll pick up a pair of soft leather ones or something.

Honestly, I feel like getting bit by small snakes is a great thing for snake keepers. You will realize how harmless they really are. My partner recently got their first snake at a show, a leucistic Texas rat snake. They are know for being comically defensive. As someone who has kept snakes for many years and worked at pet shops in the past, my advice was to get what interests you, not what other people think is the best first snake. After a couple months and a handful of bites (only one of which barely broke the skin), the snake is eating, growing, and as docile as a corn snake. It took the first couple bites to help my partner realize that half the time you don't even realize you've been bitten. Not sure if this is helpful to your situation, but you might find that handling and getting bit by a defensive snake helps you be more confident in your handling in general. I promise it won't be as bad as you think.

a little musk isn't going to hurt. my experience with kings/milks is that they outgrow musking. However, I've had only a single mbk, a hatchling I picked up last year, and she still gives me the musk treatment every time. I expect she'll outgrow it soon. if the snake your looking at is a hatchling, it can be kept in pretty small quarters as it probably only weighs about 30 grams at most. a six qt tub will do nicely for now. I encourage you to get the snake if healthy. I got away from colubrids a few years back but I always missed them. I started rebuilding the collection last year and now have the 0.1 mbk (yes, there will be a male soon!) and 2.2 hondurans (1 yearling and 3 hatchlings). They are rewarding snakes to keep and I am happy to have them in my collection again.

oh, about that 6 qt tub; secure it tightly. tiny kings like that can sneak through almost any crack.

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Originally Posted by Jeffco

Honestly, I feel like getting bit by small snakes is a great thing for snake keepers. You will realize how harmless they really are. My partner recently got their first snake at a show, a leucistic Texas rat snake. They are know for being comically defensive. As someone who has kept snakes for many years and worked at pet shops in the past, my advice was to get what interests you, not what other people think is the best first snake. After a couple months and a handful of bites (only one of which barely broke the skin), the snake is eating, growing, and as docile as a corn snake. It took the first couple bites to help my partner realize that half the time you don't even realize you've been bitten. Not sure if this is helpful to your situation, but you might find that handling and getting bit by a defensive snake helps you be more confident in your handling in general. I promise it won't be as bad as you think.

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That's what everyone says! I think I'm going to be crazy nervous about it until it happens lol. I don't think it'll hurt, it'll just shock me.

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Originally Posted by DennisM

a little musk isn't going to hurt. my experience with kings/milks is that they outgrow musking. However, I've had only a single mbk, a hatchling I picked up last year, and she still gives me the musk treatment every time. I expect she'll outgrow it soon. if the snake your looking at is a hatchling, it can be kept in pretty small quarters as it probably only weighs about 30 grams at most. a six qt tub will do nicely for now. I encourage you to get the snake if healthy. I got away from colubrids a few years back but I always missed them. I started rebuilding the collection last year and now have the 0.1 mbk (yes, there will be a male soon!) and 2.2 hondurans (1 yearling and 3 hatchlings). They are rewarding snakes to keep and I am happy to have them in my collection again.

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The musking is my biggest worry. I told a girl at work that keeps snakes that I'm getting a kingsnake and she told me not to get one because they're gross and they smell bad. Now, I think she was being a little judgemental. MBK's are utterly gorgeous and I want to try working with them. I just hope I can deal with being musked on! lol

Honestly, getting bit by a baby ball python will probably hurt a lot worse than getting bit by an adult MBK. I doubt their teeth are any larger than those of my 6 1/2 foot long yellow rat snake. He got me good once and I pulled away on accident. Had to dig his teeth out of my finger. Ball python teeth are MUCH larger than rat/king/milk snake teeth. Getting bit by an adult MBK will be like getting a paper cut. Being bit by a baby is like being attacked by angry velcro.

http://imageshack.com/a/img208/7936/owwieratbait.jpg

I love mine I have to sex it but I can say I handle it maybe once a week half the time it will musk but I've never been bite. They are just naturally nervous at the outset of handling after that their good..I love there appetite looking to maybe breed them down the road love the jet black.


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Like mentioned before, with handling and getting it comfortable with you and taking it out of the cage will help with the musking. It's more of a flight response, my Cali King does it but as he has gotten older and has mellowed, he doesn't do it nearly as much, if at all. It does stink, haha, there's a few times where I'd take him out and be like, really?? because he musked all over the floor and it was pretty smelly. I would handle him often and in time they just get used to you and then they don't do it or don't do it as much. Now when I take my guy out, his vent sort of sticks out as if he's going to musk, but if there's a few drops of anything that comes out, it'd surprise me. MBK is on my wishlist for sure, that boy is a beauty! I think you'd love him. Any snake is nippy, the Kings tend to be a little more, but mine has never bit me. Struck out at me, yes, but he was being young and foolish, haha. Every snake is different, if the guy says he's pretty tame, that's a good thing! But the musk is no big deal, really. At least I wouldn't hinge my decision on buying the snake on that. A simple clean up and you're golden. :) Good luck in your decision!


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