Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just given an approximately 4-ft-long california kingsnake today for free, and since this is the first colubrid that I've officially owned, I just wanted a little input on what you guys think I should get to take care of her.

I have 4x2x2 cage already, and right now she's on newspaper for substrate. She has a water dish and is currently hiding in a cereal box that I found, but unfortunately the only thing keeping her warm is a space heater pointed at one end of the cage.

SO! In short: What would you all recommend for substrate, heat type (lamp or undercage heat pad), gradient temps, etc... Also, I've only had pythons/boas before so I'm used to keeping humidity high. Do kingsnakes need as much humidity as, say, a ball python? Or are they perfectly fine without it?

Thanks beforehand. I love snakes and can't wait to get this girl all settled in!
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Innocent as a dove you will harm no one, but wise as a serpent no one will harm you. - Haug

For 1 snake, I would go to a pet store and buy something like;
T Rex 10 to 20 Gal. Cobra heat pad. I would also get; Alife 1000 watt electronic thermostat with probe. You can also mail order this stuff. Withe the heat pad, don't peel the paper off, so you can move it to another tank if you need to. Stick it on the tank underneath at 1 end with aluminum tape from a Lowes or anywhere. I started like this with great success until I started getting more and more. I now use a much more expensive Thermostat with several heat tapes. Good Luck.

Oops! I added this pic by accident!

These guys are pretty easy to take care of. My personal preference for substrate is aspen, but there are others that you can use without a hitch. Do not use cedar, pine, etc. as these are toxic. Sand can get into a snake's nasal passages and cause problems. I believe RBichler uses sand in his enclosures, but he can tell you more about that. You will also need at least two hides - one at each end of the enclosure - and a water dish that the snake can't tip. Believe me, they will try to tip it.

Humidity doesn't need to be very high for these guys. Mine stays between 30% and 60%, and I've never had any issues with shedding.

Everyone has different preferences for temperatures, but Cal kings are pretty hardy and can handle a good range. You need to give your snake a good gradient so that it can thermoregulate itself. I keep mine at 74-76F on the cool end and at 80-82F on the warm side.

If I've forgotten anything, someone feel free to chime in.

To the poster: good luck with your new snake!

I have kept and bred cal kings since 64, and they will do great exactly like your ball pythons. So, start there. Of course, kings burrow a lot and like to hide(most snakes do)

But what is good for balls with settle your king in just fine.

If you decide to breed your king, many folks cool them in the winter, but its not necessary. Good luck