Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello ^_^

I recently saw a caliking X cornsnake hybrid, and was taken by his beautiful black and white markings. I have a small colony (is that what you call it?! XD) of corns, and I would love to add him, but I am worried about that infamous kingsnake habit of eating other snakes... I know that they have to be the same size snakes, and that they -must- be fed in a feeding box so that they don't get any ideas, but what are their temperaments like? Is it possible that he might get the inkling to eat one of his cagemates once he gets big enough?!

I'd love any info! thanks!

as long as hes not in same cage you wont have to worry about it. and besides, cohabitation isnt a good idea in the first place
-----
jake

my addiction:
0.2 normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
0.1 amelenistic corn snake (mazy)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)
hybrid breeders association
hybrid haven

I agree you should never keep snakes together. As far as the King Snake eating the other snakes here is what I have found. King snakes dont seek out other snakes and eat them all day long like you may think. Other snakes are indeed on a king snakes menue but for example if a corn snake is full and comes acrost a mouse it will more than likly pass it by with out a thought. Try it some time. Feed your Corn untill it will not eat anymore then put a mouse in and watch it "Do not leave it unsupervised" The Corn will turn and for the most part ignore the mouse. On the rare ocasion in a small area the mouse may anoy the snake enough causeing the snake to strike and constric at witch time it will eat it. This in my oppinion is the same with King Snakes. As long as they are not hungery they will for the most part not eat another snake. I have had my striped king snke in with a Garter snake as well as a female Corn "Hoping the King would breed with the Corn" They did not breed but with both species the King checked out the other snake and simply moved to the other side of the enclosure ignoring it.
FOOT HILL REPTILES

> King snakes dont seek out other snakes and eat them all day long
> like you may think.

Yup. I've got 2 males that have lived together since shortly after I collected the second one (they were both hatchlings). I separate them for feeding, but that's it.

No, I really should not keep them together, even though I know it is safe. The reason being is that it makes record keeping more difficult. I can not record which snake pooped when because I don't know, so if there was an issue, I would not be able to give adequate records to the vet to help diagnose the issue.

Also, if housed together, should one have a parasite or disease - the other will shortly.

Mine will be separated for brumation this winter, and will not be united after that, now that they are breeding size.

Turtle Bay (a science / natural history museum) has 3 adult kings kept in the same enclosure, and the biggest one is large enough to eat the smallest. They keep them well fed on rodents, so it never has been an issue (not yet anyway).

There's always the danger though. BTW - even corn snakes on occasion will eat other snakes.
-----
3.0 WC; 0.3 CB L. getula californiae
1.0 CB L. getula nigrita
0.1.1 WC; 0.0.3 CH Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

I've fed 2 small Cali King 2 pinkies and 2 mice, put them in a cage togther and not even two minutes later one had the other one in it's mouth, hanging out by the end of its tail (luckily it was saved).

I'd definitely put any animal with King Snake blood by itself.