Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need suggestions as to what i should do.
i have had an adult female desert king for nrealy 6 months or more, and she has ate for me once.
she would not respond to F/T and still does not, but did take a live mouse once.
i am thinking of trying a F/T chick, would this be a good thing, and can they digest them well?
she was in brumation for nearly 3 months or longer, and has been out for a couple of weeks and i have tried both F/T mice,a nd live as well as rats, and nothing.
does anyone have ANY suggestions?
i would like to breed her this year, as she is not emaciated and has not lost any weight, but would like to hear suggestions first.
thanks in advance for any advice!

sincerely,

matthew watkins

Are you sure it is a female? Sounds like sexually mature male behavior to me.

When I had lots of Cal kings, my desert strain would not eat until March in most cases. Is the snake cruising around alot?
-----
Mark

you know actually the male has been the feeder, but i could be totally wrong as i myself never sexed either of them.
i was told she was the female and the guy i got her from would not lie at all.
he might have just got the pair mixed up, but they are proven breeders.
i hope that is all that it is to be honest.
possibly might be the male though. it has been cruising a little bit at night, but doesn't seem to be anything out of the norm.
if it were a female, what could i do to get it to feed again? any suggestions on that?

thanks,

matthew watkins

I agree with Mark. My splendida males rarely ate when sex was on their minds!!!! Females ate good right out of brumation. What I would do is first probe to determine gender. And remember even the best breeders occasionally make a mistake in gender determination. If you are uncomfortable probing then feed up the one that is feeding and after the first shed put the two together. But stay close. You don't want one to eat the other!!!!! My splendida have been pretty good about getting busy quickly!!!! Last year I had a pair hook up for three hours!!!!! Good Luck!!!!

Shalom,

Pat

Pat,
I haven't seen your name in a long time...glad to see you are still around.......

-John Lassiter

Back at ya dude!!!!!! Thought you died or somethin'
'!!!!!! Do you still have that butt ugly CA King ?????LOL That snake is so sweeeeet!!!!!!!!

Shalom,

Pat

Pat, I am sorry to say that one was sold in the Spring of 2006. A buddy of mine has him though.

Trying to work on a plan to get back into collecting / breeding snakes while I am away from home all the time....We'll see....I really miss my Mexicana especially...

John Lassiter

well i sexed the snake, and yes, it is the female that is not eating. i just don't understand this at all.
it is becoming frustrating a bit. i have kept kings a long time, and this is the first i have ever had trouble with getting to eat.
is there anything i could do? i was thinking of trying a baby chick, would this work possibly? i have an abundance of them that i feed to boas from time to time.
just never tried them on colubrids.
any more suggestions?
thanks guys for all your help so far.

matthew watkins