Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello. I am sort of new to snake keeping. I had a baby ball python for a few months, and he unexpectedly died recently after having an injection.

That little guy stole my heart, and I deffently want another snake. Before I got my bp, I have to confess, I was a bad owner. I got him on a whim without very much research. I took him to the vet about a month after I got him b/c he wasn't eating. Another mistake, I should have taken him right after I got him. Turns out he had a lot of health issues, and looking back, I should have been smarter.

Which is what brings me here. As I said, I do want another snake. But this time I want to do it right. That means LOTS of research!

I've been looking at the beautiful color patterns of the king snakes. And I've been thinking about adding one to my family.

What kind of set ups do you have? Are they good eaters (I found out the hard way bp's are not)? How fast do they grow? What sort of health problems are most common with them? Are they good for "beginners"? I read they are, but I hate the term "starter snake." No snake should be described as a "starter snake." IMO.

Thanks a lot for your help. I know that this was a bit long and I apologize.

Yeah, whim snake buying is a crap shoot. Sometimes everything works out you get a great CB eater and he is a wonderful pet. But sometimes you get an unhealthy import. Which although imports are good for people trying to bring new species to the hobby and are for experienced hobbyists. IMO WC is stupid for any snake that is bred by the tens of thousands a year. Anyways onto the actual kings lol Yes they are amazing snakes usually good eaters (species specific) Usually tricolor kings (pyros) are more troublesome when feeding. I would suggest california kingsnakes, mexican black kings, eastern king snakes, and speckled king snakes. My personal fave is the Brooksi King whos classification is rather debated, is a great snake for any beginner They like many other kings come in many colors and varieties although the normal is a sight to behold in my oppinion. All of these can be kept in as small as a 20 gallon terrarium, or a larger tank for those who wish to make it a display tank. I keep mine on paper towels, but newspaper, to that calcium sand can be used (with all substrates being debatable.) And a heat pad or light for heat or a combo of both if your house is really cold. They will usually eat very well (mine do) and if you get a hatchlings or adult that is said to be feeding from a reputable breeder.

I'm glad you made the great decision to pick a king as your second snake.

If you have any specific questions feel free to e-mail me at gophersnake13@gmail.com

Really? Only a 20 gal? Or is that only for starting out. I hear they are pretty active snakes that need a lot of room. A 20L is what I had my bp in.

I hear kings can get 6-7 ft. How long does it take them to get that size? Not that that's big. I looked at burmese pythons and boas, and trust me, 7 ft is nothing! lol

Trust me the average king is around 4-5 feet those 6-7ft are usually monster eastern kingsnake. A 20 gallon is the smallest for an adult. See the thing is that introducing a hatchling snake to something that is huge when they were previously in something about 11 inches long by 4 inches wide by 4 inches tall. Trust me they were. And this is not unhealthy at all. You can start them in a 20 gallon and they should be fine for life, but a 10 gallon is much more reasonable sinse if you set it up as a display tank in a 20 gallon you'd be even less likely to see him than in the 10 gallon. I hope this helped you a little

> when they were previously in something about 11 inches long by 4
> inches wide by 4 inches tall. Trust me they were.

My neonate tubs are 13" long x 7.5" wide by 4" tall (Sterilite 4qt #1952). Guess they are living in the ritz
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3.3.5 L. getula californiae
1.0 L. getula nigrita
1.0 Boa constrictor constrictor (suriname, fostering/rescue)
2.1.2 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

Lol, They are at the Hilton lol.