Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello. question. I have a new desert kingsnake purchased from petco one week ago... He is not very big, maybe 12-15 inches long, and no thicker then a small pinky(mouse).. in his home, he has house on the cool end and a small log to hid in on the hot end...cool end is room temp 70-72 and warm end I have a heat bulb on top which heats to around 85...my question is, He is always underneath his house on the cool end...I never ever see him coming out during the day to bask in the warm end....arent snakes supposed to move back and forth all day? Im just alittle concernced because he is always hanging out on the cool end, until night time, once its dark then he cruses the tank for an hour or so, and at that time, i usually have no heat in the tank, and the whole tank is room temp...Should this concern me at all? he did eat a pinky mouse 3 days ago, but even after eating, he still did not go on the warm end....any ideas? are desert snakes different then most, where they dont go on the hot end? or maybe he just likes the hide on the cool end better then the warm end...once again, thank you..im just concerned as petco has a two week warrentee on there snakes, and wasnt sure if this is normal behavior or not....he also does not mind being held, he seems normal to me..thanks..Pete

I have a heat bulb on top which heats to around 85...

Always use an undertank heat source.

I have seen more problems from people trying to simulate the sun (heat from above) that causes the snakes not do what we think they should do. I know there are some people here who have been doing this for years but IMO it is not a good idea.
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>>> Im just a little concernced because he is always hanging out on the cool end, until night time, once its dark then he cruses the tank for an hour or so,and at that time, i usually have no heat in the tank, and the whole tank is room temp...Should this concern me at all?

This sounds normal to me, Young snakes are very skidish. It might take him 3 months to cruse in the light, but most snakes don't like bright lights, and most all colubrid snakes will cruz the tank at night.
I agree with Bluerosy, get a under the tank heater,and dim the light if its bright. Also try switching hides or adding another to the warm side, Maybe your snake just likes that hide, or likes the temp. better on that side of the tank.
Good Luck, Bob

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R.Bichlers Colubrids
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rbichler/index.html

These guys prefer diurnal if not nocturnal activity, in my experience. When they cruise the tank, that is when to feed them. Most of my splendida hide during the day with their heads poking out occasionally. it is choosing to do what it wants to do, if you have a gradient, and it is digesting normally, no worries.
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Todd Hughes

meant to say crepuscular not diurnal (evenings and early morning) versus diurnal (daytime) sorry.
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Todd Hughes

Kingsnakes spend most of their time on the cool side. They use the warm areas briefly to digest etc then go back to cool to conserve energy. Thats why he is out IMMEDIATELY after dark. He is scared of the bright lights so when they go off he goes over to use the residual heat. You can keep your light, it won't burn your snake, but if you add an under tank heater for at night, he will be better off.

also, is 90 too high for the warm end during the day? with the light, it gets the warm end around 89-91, but most of the tank is around 82 and the cool end is 73....is this ok?

Yep its fine as long as he can get away from it. There is no exact number but I try to shoot for at least a 20 degree gradient. Somewhere around 70-90 for most of my kings at most times of the year..