Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Are male kings bigger normally than females? Should they be fed more, less, or the same as females? Do smaller males make better breeders or does it matter?

Thanks,
Dan

(What species are you interested in?)
Males DO tend to average bigger in size in most Kingsnake species. In my eastern Kingsnake collection males are generally 6"-12" longer when full grown than females and of course a little thicker. (In my 25 years of keeping Easterns, my biggest males have been around six feet or a little more, while my biggest female ever is currently a five footer) Males also tend to grow faster than females, but do not necessarily need more food than females. You can feed them a little more if you want them to grow faster - they will usually accept this. Be careful not to feed too much or your male will become obese (You can tell when you start to see the skin between all the scales).
The size of the male does not matter when it comes to breeding. Small males will breed as good as big ones provided that they are old enough and have been fed well (should be at least two years old and around three feet long for most of the larger species of kingsnakes).Hope this helps.

Zee

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"I am an expert on everything, but I know so little and have so much to learn!" -Carsten "Zee" Zoldy-

Awesome info. It just so happens that I was wondering about Easterns and Brooks. How much do you feed your adult Easterns and how often? I have three Easterns with six more coming and I don't think I'm done.

Thanks,
Dan