Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am taking over ownership of a 2 year old Arizona Mountain Kingsnake from a friend of mine that can't care for it any longer. I used to raise bearded dragons, and have rescued several other lizard breeds and nursed them back to health.

I just have some general questions I'm wanting to get answered before I pick the snake up in a few weeks.

What is the recommended enclosure and size for it? He currently has him in a 30 gallon tank with wire lid top and aspen substrate, a small hide, a water bowl, a couple of limbs, a heating pad under half the tank, and he uses a normal softwhite light bulb during daytime hours. He feeds frozen (thawed) pinkies (1-2 ever 2 weeks). He rarely handles him as well because the snake musks frequently.

I cared for this snake for 3 months while the owner was travelling with his job a year ago. I didn't get the impression that the snake was very healthy, so I feed him small fuzzies 1-2 a week. He put on some weight at the time. After the owner took him back, he went back to the previously mentioned eating schedule.

I want to make sure this snake gets a correctly setup living environment and is on a healthy eating schedule. I would also like to handle him more often.

He will be in my home office room, so there will not be a lot of traffic around him. I have 2 small dogs, but the snake will be high enough from the ground that they shouldn't cause him any stress.

Thanks for reading all that and I appreciate any responses you can give me.

I like the sound of the feeding schedule that you where following when the snake was in your care for 3 months. And, from what you wrote the snake was begining to look healthier and putting on weight... So, that's what i would stick with.

Good Luck! ~ Mike Russo

Agreed, sounds like a good setup for the snake. Feed him a bit more, as mentioned for the time you watched the snake for your friend. Use a hide for the Warm end of the cage AND another for the cool end, and make sure the water dish is large enough for the snake to get into on occasion. Other than that, you have it covered.

Thank you for the replies. It sounds like I am on the right track. Now I just need to figure out how I want to decorate his tank when he gets here.