My California Kingsnake, Caesar, is 9 months old and I've had him for 8. He's never bitten before, but last night he constricted my hand and tried to swallow my pinky finger! It wasn't painful, but I was shocked and now I'm scared to let my kids handle him. Tuesday is the day before his feeding day -- is it possible he was just really hungry? I would appreciate any advice or past experience with this!

There is a lady on another list I frequent who up until recently had a cal king that would routinely try to swallow her fingers. In at least one case she grabbed the camera and went to snapping away while it swallowed her finger up to the joint with her hand. Very interesting shots! Had to wait til the snake backed off on its own. Took about an hour.

My Cal King is the only snake I have that routinely bites me but its always a warning strike. Bite and release!
She has never offered to bite my other half, who the snake actually belongs to.
I just get the privledge of feeding it and cleaning up after it!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I once had my burmese python bite my hand and constrict my arm. After gratuitously showing it to the family, I held her under the faucet with cold water running, and she let go immediately. I suppose maybe dipping her in cold water would have a similar result. Always a good idea to let them release rather than trying to pull them off- saves teeth.

With those backward curving teeth it also is a lot less damaging to YOUR skin!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Good to know, thankyou. I have been feeding him fuzzies -- I think maybe he's ready for something bigger. He does seem to be prowling around more than usual. Maybe he is unsatisfied. Now that I think of it, my box turtle had flipped himself upside down and I used my left hand to flip him back over before I took the snake out. That's the hand Caesar tried to eat so maybe he smelled the turtle?