Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just got a banana king snake and it's about 10" long. Every where i've read says to feed it pinkies, but even that seems a bit big, as it's about the width of a pencil. I remember feeding my ball python mice larger than it, when she was a baby, but python's have a larger head, and it doesn't seem my baby could eat a pinky. Just looking for a thumbs up. Also is there a visible way to sex the snake, or is probing the only way? Thanks

He should be ok with day old pinks.
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a 10inch king should have no trouble at all taking a pinkie mouse. also whoever the breeder was probably made sure it was eating before releasing it to market(i know most do). also bp's and kings are as differant as night&day so dont let the size fool ya,,, good luck imho kings are WAAAAAAYYY mo'betta than bp's,,,,thomas davis

You can "pop" him. All it is, is inverting the hemipenes. It takes time to get it down but it's rather easy after a while. You take the snake's tail while you or someone else hold his front half. Press your thumb against the tail about a half inch behind the vent and gently push forward. If hemipenes pop out, (two little pinkish tube like things) then it's a male. Good luck. Sam

I do not recommend doing this if someone very experienced has not shown you how, because you can damage the spine.

If it pops male, it is male. If it doesn't pop male, it may be female - or it may be male.

I would suggest taking it to someone who knows what they are doing to have the sex determined. Often it is obvious just by looking at the tail - though like popping, it is not foolproof.

Probing is much more accurate, though it takes a really small probe for a baby king.
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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

> Also is there a visible way to sex the snake, or is probing the
> only way?

Very often you can tell by the tail.
Males have longer tails that are quite fat after the vent, females have shorter tales that taper off very quickly after the vent.

It isn't fool proof, especially with babies, but usually you can tell.
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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 didn't intentially mean for him to try, just letting him know that there is another way. Thanks though, I probably should have let him know that he should learn from an experienced person.

If you king is 10" long and as big around as a pencil he is not only big emnough to eat pinky mice but wekk old pinkies at that. Feeding day old mice have less nutrients and the wekk old mice will give your snake a growth spurt it needs to get it on fuzzies(thats your goal) so try a large pink. These snakes can take a whole lot more down than you would expect.

Even the wekk old pink will digest quickly however. In the wild these snakes eat a more whole food item like other snakes or lizards as there firt meal. So frequent and large meals is best when feeding pinkys.

...and don't worry you snake will not choke. Either he/she can swallo the mouse pink or not. But I am sure it can..

I hate people who try to correct others opinions but I feel the need to. Take no offense I respect your knowledge. You should not overfeed young that readily take food. It can lead to a premature death due to excessive fat build up in the internal organs. I also wouldn't feed bigger meals often, but smaller meals more frequently. I've personally experienced digestive problems with ones I've fed bigger meals at the same pace of smallers to the rest. They grew just as fast and had less problems. Sam

Sorry but you are completly wrong.

Do a search because this has been brought up here sevral times in the last year. Try and look up posts by FR. He explains it better than I do.

BTW, I have been breeding snakes for 40 years and I mainted a very large collection to this day. The snakes do a lot better on a larger meal than those day old pinks. Think about this. What nutrional value does a day old have. Even the week old pinks run through the system of a nen=onate like water.

Oh and snakes do not get fat from larger meals. Another big misconcetion from not understanding the natural history and biology of colubrids.

Kingsnakes can take a meal at least twice their girth. If you have a hot spot in the 85-92 range they can take meals on the larger side. If your hot spot is only 78-82 it is probably better to feed them something around 1 1/2 times their girth. Just remember that having a cool side around 60-65 at night and no more than 70-75 in the day is just as important as heat because it allows the snake to lower it's metabolism.
When it is time to feed your snake again is subjective to your conditions you are keeping it at. For general maintanance and health just watch your snake when the lump is gone and it craps feed it again 1 to 3 days later. For general maintanance there really is quite a broad range kingsnakes will thrive in. If you get to a point where you want to maximize growth rates and breeding potential guys like buerosy, Kerby and FR can give you all the details.