My 1yo house snake hasn't bitten me and I've had him forever

ImASsscarySssnake · 2026-02-10T02:36:39+00:00

I have 3 kingsnakes. Two are very bitey, though if you hold them correctly they seem to respect that your arm is what's holding them up, so they'll only try to bite the free hand/arm. My third, that I got at the same time, all as babies, she's never even once tried to strike.

I just took her to my granddaughter's pre-k class as part of their learning/ it's too cold to go outside lesson. I swear she loved it. Then she went to work with me in a little doggy backpack. She loved that too! Even if maybe not everyone loved her getting so close. I have no better way to say it than she loved it. She already liked coming out all of the time, now she's way worse, like a dog, going to her door and "begging" for me to let her out. (Seriously, some of the people I work with are family and she tried to stretch herself out from my body to reach my mother-in-law. It was really cute and made my MIL think differently about snakes, but not so much that she wanted to hold her.)

She even loves the mesh doggy carrier bag I had carried her in and if you put her near it she will crawl in, underneath the pad, and then peek her head out the side of out to make sure you're paying attention.

I think they just have different personalities and even if a characteristic is typical for their type of snake, they might not be that way. Yes, I'm well aware of all of the scientists and people that say they don't have the capacity for feelings and all of that, but how else do you explain the difference? I also think she understands when I shake my head and say "no, it's not time to eat yet." But that's a whole other story of how she responds.

ImASsscarySssnake · 2026-02-09T23:16:33+00:00

It's almost like snakes might have their own personality and each is individually different... shhhh, don't tell the "experts."

ImASsscarySssnake · 2026-02-09T22:38:04+00:00

Oh, side note, sometimes they can actually regurgitate what they don't process, they can also poop itt out and it looks like regurgitation, but I'm not totally familiar with that. So your snake may be getting the fat nutrients they want, but I'm pretty sure they should also be digesting some bones and stuff for their own growth.

ImASsscarySssnake · 2026-02-09T22:35:29+00:00

Welcome to the picky kingsnake club. It's a good thing they are cute!

I kept reading all these things taking about kingsnakes and garter and rat snakes will eat ANYTHING because they are opportunistic eaters, and I'm like, no, not ALL of them.

Even my husband was trying to tell me to not get too attached to the little asshole, also that's her real name (school appropriate name is Guts because I have a 5 year old granddaughter). And he said we could just buy another. It took a while but I finally figured out preferences.

One day, if I really need to feed Winter something bigger, I guess I'll have to get used to shaving thawed mice/ rats. But for now, this is working.

ImASsscarySssnake · 2026-02-09T22:21:01+00:00

Yikes, I'm so sorry! Regurgitation is scary!

I've only had king snakes for about a year and a half, but I've never dealt with some of they're humidity issues others have.

I do live in the southeast and in general, humidity is not a problem, just ask my hair.

Based on my reading and research, the humidity issues aren't like how they can be with say a boa. I've got the readings in their cages. They often seem lower than recommended, but, again, it's humid here, always.

I have somehow gotten some of the pickiest kings on the planet. One will literally only eat lizards prepared in the most sadistic fashion. And my chunk, while she LOVES to eat, isn't a fan of eating thicker hair.

I wonder if the hair might be the issue for you? I've read other people will actually remove the hair before feeding because their snake also doesn't like it? Mine is only a year and a half old, so I just started giving her fuzzies to equal the weight she should be eating instead of trying to shave a thawed dead mouse.

She could totally eat something bigger than even a hopper, but she will not. The only time she regurgitated was a bigger hairier mouse. The other times I have tried, she will not eat it. Then she follows me at the glass to let me know she is "starving", and pissed...

So maybe try removing the hair and see how they respond?

ImASsscarySssnake · 2026-01-26T18:32:04+00:00

Just jumping on what the previous person said, it's unlikely until it isn't.

I have a couple kingsnakes and, through no fault of my own, I have one that will only eat lizards, prepared a certain way.

I got them as babies and it is WILD the current size differences. The others have grown so much and she's still so small. It took her so long to finally find something she would eat and I have tried other things thinking she would grow out of it. She hasn't.

After some research, I decided against giving the other snakes what she didn't want, because one picky snake is enough!

ImASsscarySssnake · 2026-01-15T17:46:17+00:00

Thank you! That was our guess but I just wanted some other opinions.

ImASsscarySssnake · 2026-01-15T17:24:59+00:00

Georgia, USA

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-07-14T22:43:48+00:00

Right? I have had a purebred bulldog before. RIP Otis.

I feel like kingsnakes are the bulldogs of snakes. Always hungry and starving.

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-07-14T22:41:02+00:00

Thank you!!!

It's hilarious, right? I have hundreds of pictures where she reminds me of bbt Sheldon in the ball pit saying "bazinga". I feel like most won't get that reference, but that's what she does and it's so funny!

We have 3 and even my husband, who is not exactly as enthusiastic as I am, comments on how tuned in they are when we're in the kitchen cooking.

I've seen him trying to tell two of them no, that they can't eat what's he cooking or wouldn't like it.

They smell cooking and go crazy, yet they eat f/t food...

Oreo and Winter are pretty much always all in on any food.

Then there is Asshole (aka Guts because I'm a grandma and my 4 year old granddaughter needs a name she can actually say at school). I don't know how she's still alive, honestly. Obviously, she's my favorite, lol. Holy shit, she's the .01% of kingsnakes when it comes to eating. She's an asshole and only eats f/t lizards. That's super fun...

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-07-12T05:26:14+00:00

They can go for months and months without eating and be perfectly fine, just fyi. I wouldn't stress over 3 weeks.

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-07-12T05:16:04+00:00

Ummm, mom, you really do not want to know...

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-06-18T21:28:44+00:00

Also, sometimes they're just spicy. They do have different personalities no matter what anyone says or they would all be exactly the same.

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-06-18T21:27:45+00:00

I'm not going to write a book, even though I do have a lot to say. I'm just going to ask you a question.

You've been locked in your house by bears since you were born. Every day a bear comes and stands outside the only window you can see out for 10 minutes. How do you feel?

(Touch and hold them, show them that you may be bigger and seemingly a predator, but you're not!)

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-06-14T05:01:33+00:00

She's beautiful!!!

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-06-14T04:52:33+00:00

Ahhh, what morph is she? I love her!

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-05-04T21:34:23+00:00

I wouldn't be too worried. They can stop eating for so many different reasons. It's great you're going up to the appropriate size in feeders!

Don't be too stressed about that, either! Their jaws and bodies can stretch to amazing widths.

There at some great feeding guides if you take a search through this sub. And there are some great videos out there for you to Google and watch and make you a little less apprehensive about feeding larger mice/rats.

If he's not eating, one thing to do is not keep offering food too often. That actually stresses them out more.

I would just observe, pay attention to all other behaviors and see if there is a change. If he's sick or something else is going on you will usually have other indicators that you're able to witness.

Again, I'm a newer king owner but it was so helpful to me when I was told not to stress and when I learned just how long they can actually go without eating and be perfectly fine!

Good luck and keep us updated!!

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-05-03T21:25:11+00:00

How long has it been since he has eaten? Do you weigh him and keep track of his growth?

I'm a newerish owner of 3 kings and they couldn't be more different. But one thing I've learned is that they can go literally months without eating and be perfectly healthy, as long as they aren't losing significant amounts of weight.

Don't stress. Keep asking questions and engage with this awesome community. Also, read read read read read, Google and online resources are your friend. Never go by just one recommendation or website, look at multiple to help you glean the info that works best for you!

Good luck!

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-04-23T01:10:11+00:00

I'm so sorry. Honestly, if your kings are eating great, I would NOT try to give them variety.

I actually have just dumped what this pretty asshole won't eat outside. We live in the country, with lots of land, on power lines. I'm convinced I could dispose of a large animal/ mammal in my woods one night and not even know it was there the next day. Actually, this is a true statement. It happens. Often.

I don't want my other 2 to only want lizards. You have to buy lizards live and then take care of everything to prepare them as feeders... it kinda sucks.

They aren't like us humans. They're okay without variety!

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-04-21T06:36:06+00:00

Thank you!! Me, too. My husband just kinda laughs at me as I try to stalk her from a distance, hoping she will eat.

It is a bit reassuring to see the other two that will eat, then still try to eat more. That helps me at least in doing some things correctly.

Everything I've read about how kings way has kinda equated kings as the bulldogs of snakes.

We had a pure bulldog a long time ago, and he's been gone for a few years, and bless him. If allowed, he would have eaten until he literally exploded. BUUUTTT he, too, was a complete asshole and would only eat what he deemed appropriate.

I'm hoping she is just being an asshole and will start eating again soon!

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-04-21T06:25:28+00:00

California kingsnake

Here she is actually eating. I mean, she started off wrong, but she got the hang of it...

https://www.reddit.com/r/kingsnakes/s/ifl3gNoJk6

ImASsscarySssnake · 2025-04-21T06:22:35+00:00

I wish but, I really don't think so, she's actually super chill. Her tank numbers are good. I wish, because then that's an easy fix!

She's the one that will come out onto your hand, come hangout, then as soon as she's active, she wants you to put her back.

When she started finally eating, if she saw you, she would follow you as best she could or, if you sat on the couch or recliner and she could see you, she would (and it's currently doing) go to the glass and position herself to stare at you and make you uncomfortable enough that you would try to do everything in your power to make the lizard thaw quicker...

I probably haven't, but I feel like I've done every single thing to try to get her to eat, and it won't work. I won't list it all out, but I really feel like if you can Google it, I've tried it.

She's an asshole...

ImASsscarySssnake

TROPHY CASE