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RE: just got a snake, couple questions

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Posted by: markg at Mon Aug 10 15:27:16 2015  [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by markg ]  
   

I can help.
Cal kings live underground 99.9% of the time. They are best kept in smallish cages when young with limited ventilation.

A plastic "shoebox" like a Sterilite 6qt container (with a few holes poked with a soldering iron) works great. Iris shoeboxes are even better. Or a KritterKeeper or other small plastic container sold for temporary housing.

Heating for a small cage is simple: Rest about 1/4 to 1/3 of the cage floor over a heat pad. During summer, 1/4 is plenty. Make sure to control the temperature of the heat pad. Thermostats are available online or in some stores. Amazon sells some small herp-related thermostats. At least use a lamp dimmer to reduce the temperature to a good range - 82-85 for a snake like yours.

Bedding can be shredded aspen or sanichips or cocofiber. All are available. Paper mulch substrates IMO are too absorbent for babies.

Hides can be crumpled paper, crumpled paper towel rolls, PVC pipe, small cardboard box, etc.

Things that are not good for Cal king cages:
1. Overhead lamps. Lose the blue daylight bulb.
2. CHEs are fine, but lamps are too dehydrating.
3. All-screen top: cover those screen tops!
4. Too big a cage for babies.

Baby Cal kings are shy. They need security and to not dry out (lamps plus screen top = drying out). Put that snake in a small, secretive cage, and I bet it eats a thawed pinky. Sometimes during this time of year babies will refuse food. Rare with Cal kings but can happen. If so, report back here.


   

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