Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I have a 48" blizzard female that just decided to stop eating on me. Will kings do that even without dropping the temp? It gets cold here in Jersey at night when her lamp is off and the house goes down to about 65ish degrees but she has an undertank heater. She has been staying burrowed all throughout the day but has been searching the tank a lot about an hour or so before her lamp would go off as if she was hungry. I have tried feeding and she wants nothing to do with it. Any ideas and if she is off feed how long can i expect her to be?

Thanks for your time

My banded female did that. I think it was more the light cycle than the temperatures as her tank remained between 74-76F at the coolest. I'm not an expert, but if your snake is still active you might try a live anole. My Cal king refused her regular (small) rats but immediately jumped on the anole.

Hope this helps.
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0.1 Banded California kingsnake - Zorro
1.0 Betta fish - Billy
0.0.3 White Cloud Fish
1.0 RES - Chopstick
0.1 Australian Shepherd - Jet
0.1 Domestic Shorthair Mix Cat - Pirate

How long has it been since its last feeding? What type of enclosure is it in? Where is the enclosure located?If the enclosure is close to the floor it may be getting cooler than 65 degrees. I would personally stay away from the anole due to parasites,worms,etc. But, I would not worry too much.I have some snakes that go off feed a couple weeks in my heated snake room. Good luck, Chuck

I'd say its been about 1 1/2 months. She is in a 20L tank with 4" of aspen to burrow in. The tank is in my living room in the same spot where she has always been even when feeding. The tank is on a steel stand that is resting on carpet about 3 1/2 - 4 feet above the floor.

Ok,is it near a window?If so move it away only if the has a draft to it.Then I would raise the night time temp. to about 78 .Does your snake show any signs of a URI(upper respiratory infection)weezing,etc.Or you could go ahead and brumate it or take it to the vet.If you choose to brumate it keep it between 62 to65 for a couple of weeks.Then you can cool it down to 55.As long as the snake still has good body weight.If it does not have good body weight take it to the vet.

I should have clarified: my snake had been off feed for several months, and I did not have access to an area that I could keep cool enough to brumate her. The anole was a last resort.

Sorry for the confusion.
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0.1 Banded California kingsnake - Zorro
1.0 Betta fish - Billy
0.0.3 White Cloud Fish
1.0 RES - Chopstick
0.1 Australian Shepherd - Jet
0.1 Domestic Shorthair Mix Cat - Pirate

She is now hiding every day and not searching at all anymore. She just stays burried in her aspen somewhere in the tank. I just wanted some assurance as to if this was normal behavior or not. Her temperment is still loving (even though she trys to musk from time to time). Does this mean that she will be able to breed come spring? She is 48" long. It would be something cool to try and do with my daughter and we already have friends that would want the offspring. Is breeding difficult with these snakes?

No, breedings not difficult at all their easy. The way you talk its a he dire situation.Its only been 18months since shes last eaten and your talking about breeding her.If this is so you need read up on the species on which you keep.

Not, to sound mean.But, if the female has not eaten in 18 months and has not been brumated.Don't even think about breeding her.Please read up on the species you keep.

ifn' she ain't ate in 18 months she must be one o' them pie-thons!
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Todd Hughes