Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I read that Desert Kings eat rodents, lizards and snakes. I've also been feeding mine sparrow and dove eggs and also offered her a small cottontail baby that my dog latched onto the other day.... she took it with glee. (Frozen thawed). I was a little worried about the size but the head was just a tad bigger than the dove egg or I wouldn't have tried it. Anyway, are these extra things unusual for Desert Kings or is it that they just aren't added to a lot of information sheets out there?

Sheets typically deal with captive care.

Field guides generally specify "birds and their eggs", non specific rodents, etc.
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I decided my old sig was too big.

Kingsnakes are well known for eating just about anything (snakes, lizards, turtle eggs, rodents and other small mammals, birds and their eggs, etc.).

Tim

Third Eye

How bout desert toads? I caught two in my trap but let them go. Now I wonder if I should have offered them to her. And also, I hope that I'm not spoiling her with all these tasty tidbits and that she won't want to go back to the plain ole white mice.

Yes, they've been known to eat those. But feeding your snake wild-caught foods means you're also most likely feeding it parasites. That's why most people feed their snakes frozen/thawed laboratory mice.

Tim

I always freeze the item and then thaw before offering them. I've been doing it with the lizards I've been catching and feeding to my glossy for about 6 years or so. (He won't eat mice). I'm hoping that freezing them will help. What do you think?

MissHissssss

skip the toads IMO...
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
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I agree that they will eat just about anything, but I would also skip the toads, don't know what bufotoxins might do to the snake, although I am sure they eat hognose snakes in the wild, well, not sure, but relatively certain!
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Todd Hughes