Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey folks,

I bought a desert king about 2.5 weeks ago. At the purchase, it appeared healthy and it ate a frozen/thawed pinky the day after it got acclimated to it's new home.

Home:
20 gallon tank
aspen bedding
ceramic heat bulb w/ temperature sensor
day(hot: 85F)
night(hot: 80F)

The snake is about 9-10 inches long. The past two weekends I have tried feeding it again with no success. I feed it in a separate container, and I use tongs to make the pinky appear "lively". The snake has an almost solid black head. During the first week I noticed skin flaking off of it's head. It was odd though because the skin was dark and not very transparent (which is what I am assuming shed skin from a snake should appear). After a few days I took off the parts that were visibly hanging off it's head. Under the peeled skin I noticed it's skin was gray (like shedding skin). I'm wondering if it could have been skin from a previous bad shed that hadn't been removed. The past few days I've noticed it's color dulling on the rest of it's body and it has become more skittish from movements around the tank. I read that this is probably caused by skin shedding on the eyecap. Since I've noticed this I've started misting the snake with water about twice a day and yesterday I moved the water dish to the warmer side of the tank. Since the dulling of the skin, the snake has stopped being as active as it had been in the evenings. I've tried putting it in some shallow warm water to possibly help but it always freaks out and thinks it is going to drown. I'm considering also switching the bedding bc the other day when I was moving things around in the tank I tossed some bedding near the snake and it snapped at the aspen. I then noticed that it got a piece of it stuck in it's mouth. I haven't seen it sticking out of the mouth since then and it has become extremely inactive since that incident. This is my first snake, and I'm trying to do everything I can for it

Does anyone have any recommendations/suggestions? Maybe I'm just being an over-nervous first time snake owner.

First of all 20 gallon tank that you are keeping him in is way to big and may be one of the reason why he is not eating. Due to a large cage for a hatchling snake can be stressful for your snake. Snakes like to hide in a a bit cramp spot to feel safe. I say you should get a 5 1/2 gallon for your snake and use a heat pad at one end and loose the heating lamp that you have they tend to dry out the snakes skin and heat lamp do not give off as much heat for snakes. Heat pad allow the snake to lay over the heat pad allowing it to warm up.

Well it has enough aspen that it has literally created an entire tunnel system, but I can see what you mean. It is a huge tank for such a little snake. I was originally using a heating pad but I was concerned it was staying on for too long. Are they ok to leave on all the time? Wouldn't you need substrate more substantial than aspen if you leave it on continuously? I was afraid the snake was burrowing to the bottom and getting in direct contact.

Heat pad should be left on 24/7 with a dimmer or a stats such as herpstat or helix and it will be fine. The snake knows when to get heat or not if it feels it get too hot or had warmed up enough it will move away from a heat pad. You can also lay a newspaper then put aspen over it if you would like.

That tank's way too big. Snakes crave security and baby snakes do best when kept in small enclosures - like something the size of a shoebox. That's probably the reason why your snake didn't eat. Aspen absorbs moisture and small snakes are especially prone to dehydration. I'd use a newpaper or paper towel substrate.

Tim

Third Eye

Hi congrats on your first snake...I got my first snake this year and MBK..mexican black kingsnake...I used paper towels for bedding..in a 10 gal tank...with a UTH on a dimmer...it works well..sometimes he burrows in between the layers...especially under this one cave hide..and it makes it real snug...I have a hide on the warm and the cool side...and then along the back I have a paper towel roll hide..it goes from the warm to cool side..so he could pick the right temp...I flatten the paper towel roll so it is more snug..he used it alot..I like using paper towels as bedding because the poo is very visible...its simple..and its easier to find him..lol...for my other hide I use and upside down flower pot saucer..and then I have plastic plant leaves throughout for color and cover..they are easy to wash if they get pooed on..so I make sure to offer at least 2 hides one on the cool side and one on the warm side..good luck...

Thanks for the tips guys/gals. It has been re-located to a new 5 1/2 gallon tank. Using reptile carpet with torn up strips of paper towel on top. Using an under-tank heating pad on one side and plugging it into a temp sensor positioned as close to the pad as possible in the tank. It seems to be doing better. It is still very inactive but it's entire head looks like it's about to shed and overall it seems more relaxed in the smaller more humid environment. I'm only a little concerned now because the scales on it's head immediately past it's eyes do not look like they are in the process of shedding and I'm wondering again if this is left over skin from a previous bad shed. I'm going to post some pictures when I get home from work today and let you guys be the judge.

Two pictures of it's head. A few days after I bought it the skin over those gray areas peeled off. I have no idea why the skin underneath is gray other than to guess that it's shedding. Please give me your opinions: