Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have some California kings that recently hatched and won't feed yet, so I'd like to offer them a short brumation. I was considering placing them into the refrigerator, would this be too cold for them? I'd rather not invest in a small wine cooler but I may have to.

Also, for those that have experience, would a 2-3 week brumation kick these guys into gear? I also have Persian rats and Mexican rosys, which frequently don't eat until after brumation, but that is so far away and I don't want them to starve in the meantime.

Thanks
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Nick Puder
www.rnpreptiles.com

Do not use a fridge.
Seriously - try lizards or lizard scenting if they won't take mice.

How recently have they hatched?
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I decided my old sig was too big.

These only hatched a few weeks ago. Scenting is not working well. Last year I brumated them and they all started feeding right out of brumation. Those clutches were later in the year and it was easier to hold off for burmation, but this year I got clutches together sooner.

Thanks for the reply.
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Nick Puder
www.rnpreptiles.com

I agree with Funky-try more scenting, or even a whoile lizard. Also try different species of lizards.

If all else fails, I guess the wine cooler is the only option-although if it were me I might go to force fed mouse tails first.
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

This little guy refused f/t, live, and scented -

Yesterday I offered him two neonate sceloporus - he pounded them.
It wasn't a lack of desire to eat, he just is wired to want something else, and scenting didn't fool him.

What I didn't try that might have worked - using mild soap to remove the pinky scent before lizard scenting. It could be that lingering rodent scent resulted in rejection of the lizard scented pinks. Last time I tried washing pinkies (last season) - some of them fell apart on me, it was gross. May have been caused by warming them too quickly, so if you are going to wash them, let them thaw real slow, maybe in the fridge overnight. Rapid thawing seems to damage pinky skin.
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I decided my old sig was too big.

Is there a reason for thawing before washing the scent?..why not wash them while they're frozen, then put them in the fridge to thaw out?
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Richard Evans

no not THAT one

Because what you wash off when they are thawed is still frozen to the rodent when frozen and very little of it will actually wash off.

At least I think.
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I decided my old sig was too big.

I used laundry detergent to wash them, was recommended as having a more desirable scent than other soaps. All of them ate unscented last year after a brumation, seems easier than catching lizards, which I am no longer good at!
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Nick Puder
www.rnpreptiles.com

Hi Nick, I wish you all the luck with your kings, but brumation is not the key.

Its how most of these people think. Or appear to think(I cannot figure that out) You appear(i really do not know) to think your conditions are a constant and your trying everything but changing conditions. To me this is wrong.

I always manipulate cage conditions first. All these kings will do so so so much better if you provide an average cage temp in the sixties to mid seventies, then provide a hot area from 90F to 100F. If you do this and your animals are not dehydrated, they will not only eat pinkies, but will attempt to eat you too. Or any dang thing they get in their mouths.

I have been breeding cal kings since 1964 and after I learned to give them a choice, I never have problems with babies feeding.

Heck, a funny example of feeding quickly after hatching. A friend was hatching some L.greeri eggs(from nature) amoung the first in captivity and one slit then the another, then one reached over and ate the other. hahahahahahahahahahaha Well it was not all that funny at the time, but its only an example.

Snakes in nature cannot afford to miss meals, life if challanging. They feed quickly and as much as they can. And heres the key, "weather permitting". Sir, we provide the weather in captivity. Your weather is not permitting.

I guess I will add this paragraph to all my posts, you can take this information or leave it, but please do not attack me. Cheers

np

I did change the conditions to offer more heat. I'll check the actual temp and see if I need to turn it up. I wasn't planning on 90F, so it may be low.

Thanks Frank!
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Nick Puder
www.rnpreptiles.com

If they are only a few weeks old then just wait. Whats the hurry? in a few more weeks they will be pounding down pinkies.
>
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Doug L

Waited last year, never got them pounding until after brumation. Any other advice for them? I'm hoping to sell them at a show in a month.
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Nick Puder
www.rnpreptiles.com

gota love those snake shows where guys hope to sell snakes that don't eat well
Try getting some food the snake wants,maybe a anole or fence lizard or some smaller snake that kings eat. Freeze it and take a small portion of it (1/4 inch) and slide it in a F/T pinkies mouth.You can rub a bit of the goo from the feeder on to the pink as well.Try this in the evening and over night.
Good luck

It may be that the snake is not hungry and still is living off of the yoke sac

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Doug L

I don't try to sell snakes that don't eat. Someone was selling just-hatched bulls at a show recently, causing me not to want them (although I've never had a problem with pits). They were in their first blue.

In my first clutch, 4 of 5 ate a scented pinky, they have not eaten since (3 weeks). My other clutch may still be on yolk, but I've had problems every year getting them to eat, maybe half ate last year without brumation (all ate after).
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Nick Puder
www.rnpreptiles.com

Where is that snake from?
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I decided my old sig was too big.

Guy across the street gave it to me. I believe its cal king, What exactly do you want to know ?
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Doug L

It looks fairly similar to Bay Area Cal Kings, I was just curious if it is WC and if so where it is from.
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I decided my old sig was too big.