Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a baby grey-banded kingsnake and it is the first snake i have ever owned. I got it a week and a half ago and when i got it they said that if it had been fed, it was about a week ago. They kept no records of it eating and said it was possible that it hadn't eaten yet. Ive tried feeding it live,dead,scented(with lizard maker and real fence lizards),and i have tried leaving it in a deli cup and a paper bag over night. I know this is very common for grey-banded kingsnakes. Is it to early to be worried? I even tried forcfeeding it a mousetail which someone told me to do but now i think it was too early too try this even though it worked. He takes no intrest in food at all. I even tried giving him a lizard tail and he wouldn't touch it. He acts very lively and healthy so i think the conditions are ok and he doesnt act sick. If anyone has any information i would appreciate it.

First make sure the snake has proper environment. It should have a cool side around 65-70 and a hot side around 80-85. It definitley needs to go in and out of heat as it pleases. Constant heat will cause it to use all it's reserves and starve. There needs to be a secure(tight) hide on both sides.
Water should also be available.
Here are some scenting techniques.
1)Break the tail off a live lizard and rub the blood on the pinky.
2)Freeze the lizard and rub the pinky around in it's mouth.
3)Try both those techniques using live and frozen thawed pinks(one at a time).
4)If that doesn't work try using a different kind of lizards, babies often have a preference for one type. Sideblotch and fence lizards are what I usually use. The best is probably an Earless lizard if you can get one. Mediterranean geckoes are supposed to be good too.
5)If those all fail try giving it a frozen thawed whole lizard (I have never had a grayband eat a lizard tail) and try all the different types of lizards I mentioned.
6)If that still doesn't work try a live lizard (all types).
7)If that still doesn't work you may need to pinky pump the animal. I prefer to run a few pinks through the pinky pump and into a bowl first. I then mix the mashed pinkies with beef and liver or chicken and liver cat food, about 40% pink 60% cat food. This mix really packs weight on them and in my experience goes down alot easier than just pushing whole pinks through the pump. In my experience they are also alot less likely to regurge the mix.

What the heck's a pinky pump?

LOLOLOL!!!! Sorry, just couldn't help it! Man, try all those other methods first! A pinkie pump is a syringe like device used to "pump" liquified pinkies into a non feeding snake, used as a last resort or to help a sick snake recover.
Todd Hughes

Thanks for the different scenting ideas. One thing that worries me is that i gave him a small fence lizard yesterday and he has no interest in it. I thought that they were supposed to readily be feeding on lizards if they dont like mice. I dont think scenting pinks with this lizard will work because he doesnt seem to like the lizard. i think the lizard might also have been a little to large for him. I think i will take your advice and try other types of lizards. Do you no where i can find the other lizards you mentioned? will most petstores sell them? The only wild lizards i know of at my house are fence lizards and alligator lizards. If i can find these lizards do you think it will be better to just give him the lizard to get some food in him or try scenting a pink first?

He has still not eaten today and has already shed. This means the last time he ate was at least 3 weeks ago. I tried giving him a live house gecko,fence lizard, and anole. I tried scenting the pinky with all of the different techniques. Please help.