Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello.
I am new to the forum. I have been a Ball Python owner for some time now. And my husband recently acquired a black and white desert kingsnake. Is there an easy was for a beginner to sex them? And how can I tell approximately how old the snake is? It was wild caught. And is eating well in captivity. We have been feeding fuzzies. Do you think a 2.5 foot king could handle a full size mouse? He is so skinny compared to my python!
Any advice and suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Is this a Desert Kingsnake or a desert-phase California Kingsnake? Either way, I'll guess that a 2.5 footer probably is about 1.5 to 2 years old. He should be a lot skinnier than your ball python. In fact, most snakes should be skinnier than your ball python. For feeding, you should be able to move up to hoppers, but I might wait a while before going to adult mice.

As for gender, look closely at the way the tail tapers at the base. Males tend to have a smooth, even, gradual taper across the base of the tail; the taper on females will should be noticeably more abrupt beginning at the cloaca (anal region) and through the base of the tail. That's not a sure-fire way of sexing, but the only sure way involves probing. Personally, I'll leave that to a vet or another expert. michaelb

Thanks alot!! I appreciate all the info......