I'm trying to tell you I'm HUNGRY!

[Karen Hulvey]

Here's my only adult F. Cal-king. I picked her up to see if I could see any eggs yet. She acted like she was hungry. Yeah, she's hungry. LOL She wouldn't let go either and was moving down my finger like they do when they're trying to find the nose of the mouse.

[Jeremy Letkey]

Ummm ouch??? I'm guessing no eggs yet either, that's adding insult to injury???

[Karen Hulvey]

She was with a male from May 9 through May 12. I believe she has at least 8 eggs. I had plenty of time to check her over because she wouldn't let go of my finger. I just happened to have my camera right here because I was taking pictures of my viper boas when I came to her drawer and decided to check to see if she was gravid. I did feed the little hog after she released me.

[DAND]

Mmmm, Lady fingers :eatsmiley

[Scott Nellis]

Yep....Cal-King motto...."If it moves, it MUST be food!!" Sometimes those guys just don't know when to quit. I have an adult desert phase female that ate 6 mice last Sunday and probably would have gone for more!! Oh...just my opinion here, but you were lucky that you didn't end up with one very fat snake after leaving the male with her for 3 days!! I ALWAYS supervise the breeding between my Cal-kings because they WILL try to eat each other until the sex pheromones kick in. Sometimes, that takes a few minutes after introductions. I hope your female is gravid and you get some nice eggs. I'm waiting on 15 to hatch any day now.

Scott Nellis

[turtlepimp]

At least it is not just me.My Cals seem to leap out of the enclosures thinking all is edible.I usually go in mouse first.I feed out of a large critter keeper full of mice that I produce out of my shop.They sometimes fly out of the sweater boxes into the critter cages.Cool colors,spazrastic snakes.Great pics.

[Sasheena]

My florida kings and my florida/eastern kings are little monsters. I open up their enclosures and before I can blink they are half out of the cage chasing my hands (because I've been feeding my hands smell like mouse).... If I'm not quick enough they'll catch me. I always have to remember to have a mouse ready for them so that I can offer the mouse as an alternative. I also have rubbing alcohol and q-tips so that I can get them to let go, because I have found that they WON"T let go on their own, gosh darn it, they caught a "pinky" and they're gonna eat it!

[Sherry Howell]

Stripe can eat and eat and eat and will still casually reach over and every so calmly grab my finger and start swallowing. No aggression, no sudden chasing move or anything like that,...just casually stroll over to a finger and start munching and swallowing. Glad to know others have similar reactions from their snakes.

[oscar]

lol.. sounds like my cal king too. he was really agressive when he was younger but has seemed to calm down alot. i did notice him the other day eyeing one of my fingers as i held and was moving sideways slowly getting into that S-curve. i said ok, i get the picture and promptly returned him to his enclosure.
one question for everyone though. i have 4 snakes and have never been bitten by any although i've been threatened many times. when they are hissing or in a really agressive posture, i usually just leave them alone... mostly cause i dont want to be tagged. how do you guys and gals get over the fear of being struck? i've heard it doesnt really hurt, but as soon as one strikes and misses, i close it up and walk away. lol

[Sasheena]

To get over my fear I would let a little one strike and bite to his heart's content. Once you gett used to it, it's easier. When they're BIG it can HURT if they won't let go. I've gotten used to that too. I keep rubbing alcohol and qtips near my snakes and will dip the qtip in the rubbing alcohol and then poke that toward the nose and mouth.... most will let go with a whiff, some actually have to have their more tender insides of their mouth touched with the qtip (that must HURT).... they instantly let go in those cases!

The other day I was feeding my kings and had just opened up the cage of one of my florida kings... (the most notorious for latching on human flesh) and I was admiring the snake for how large it's gotten.. hubby came over and I saw the "I'll EAT you" pose for the snake and tried to warn hubby... I was too late and he jerked back (I had sympathy for the poor snake).... he'd never been bit before.

One thing that is IMPORTANT if you are going to let a smaller baby snake bite you.... STEEL yourself for the encounter, force your arm and hand to remain completely still.... you CAN injure the snake by pulling away once it's bit you. Baby snakes, I might add, usually only nip to get you to go away, not to start feeding, so it is usually a quick painless bite. (sometimes you'll see that you have some thinner than needle fine holes the snake has put in you.... might bleed a bit, but usually isn't very painful. I would choose a snake bite over a paper cut any day!

[Sherry Howell]

I agree. I would rather be bit by a small snake than get a papercut. Those hurt! Usually, the strike and bite is done so quickly that they've bit and moved back before you realize you've been tagged.