Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, for all that has been following my thread....I called to the petco this morning, where i purchased the snake...just to confirm how he has been eating for them, and the manager advised that she was feeding in a small shoebox..Now is this possible? everyone seems to think the tub i used is too big for him, but how would I feed in a shoebox? wont he be able to get out of the shoebox? is the shoe box not too small? he is around 13 inches long, so chances are he cant stretch out all the way, bue she seems to think that is what I should do, as they fed in shoebox all along....please any help,thanks, Pete

Pete,

We've been through this already - you really are worried about that snake huh? Either that, or this is a Petco ad. Let's summarize:

1. Two large pinkies or a fuzzy - you've heard both side of the arguments on food size, just pick one and go with it.

2. Feed him in his cage, putting the food on a paper towel or small dish at the entrance of his hiding spot.

3. If your healthy baby king is not eating right now, odds are he's starting his shed cycle. If so, wait until after he sheds to feed him. If not, reintroduce food to him in about 5-7 days.

thank you...one last question though, why do people say not to feed in the cage? i keep hearing to feed in seperate container, thats why i was trying in seperate container..thanks again....im really new at all this

Please please give your snake some credit. They have all the skill and knowhow to do all the things they DO. And feeding is something they are GREAT at.

The actual key is to understand that your kingsnake is a snake and a snake is a reptile, which means, you must provide the conditions for their metabolism to function. They do not make heat like mammals, or humidity, these must be supplied by you.

I will make this easy, it does not matter what type of cage you have, what matters is what is IN the cage. Like a deep substrate, like aspen or fine pine shavings. Then have a whole bunch of things like tupperware lids, some under the shavings and some over. Also place some little tubs of moist sphagnum moss(butter dish with hole in lid) around the cage, not one and not in one place. Then place an under tank heater in one corner. Make sure the temps where the heater is over 85F and under 100F, If its hotter, then move the heater so it heats less. A water bowl(clean water) and a lid that is not screen, screen CAN allow the snakes to dry out. Not always, but a solid lip never causes a problem unless the whole cage gets to WET. If the cage is at a normal room temp, YOU AND YOUR SNAKE IS OFF AND RUNNING.

You should not have to do anying except train your snake. Like feeding in a certain corner. If your snake is healthy, it will LEARN thats where the food comes from and be there when he is hungry. This way, you do not have to guess when its hungry, IT WILL TELL YOU. Again, if healthy, they will feed almost everyday. Of course you do not have to feed them as much as they want.

Such things as feeding in a seperate container, are all things done for reasons that have nothing to do with the snake. Mainly because the keepers do not know what they are doing, so they do something to avoid their naivity(inexperience) Remember, as with all walks of life, humans have various degrees of ability, same here, most are beginers, some are great keepers, and as normal, there are bad to good, but all have a voice here. You must remember, your snake is the EXPERT at being a snake.

The key is providing what the snake needs. If you do the above and the individual still has problems, then you may need to see a vet, as most snakes are mistreated somewhere during the petshop process. You know, shipping, keeping etc. Consider, its not a petshops job to take great care of a snake, its their job to try and keep it alive until it gets to YOU.

So give your snake a good home and give it some credit that its the real expert. Cheers

From what I've read over the years, the idea about feeding in a separate container is that supposedly if you feed in the living space, the snake can become more aggressive to handling.

I don't think this is a huge problem for a fairly shy snake anyway. I could see if I was holding a mouse and putting it in our full-grown corn's cage, it could/would strike and maybe miss the mouse and get my hand. Nothing to worry about with a nonvenomous snake anyway. With my kingsnake, though, the mouse is in a cup and he doesn't come out to eat it for quite a while until things calm/quiet down.

Walt

That makes no sense, so, instead your training the snake to think it will be fed every time you take it out of the cage?
-----
"Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew!" Charlie Papazian

There is not need to do that to start with, not with kingsnakes. Remember this is a kingsnake forum and we are actually talking about a baby kingsnake, arn't we.

So why do all this messing about and fiddle farting, when there is absolutely no need to.

The reality is, you do not have to do that with any size kingsnake, they simple learn your not food by the time they are adults. Also, if they do go after you, its most likely because your not feeding enough in the first place.

The reality is, doing that, gives YOU something to do, when you do not understand what is going on. Its much better that you learn how to set up a snake properly, then there is no need to feed them in a shoebox.

Besides, kings have tiny short blunt teeth. Hmmmmmmmm nothing like my reptiles and I hand feed them. Cheers

is the shoe box not too small? he is around 13 inches long

At 13" I would say a shoebox is almost to BIG. A smaller space will help your snake a great deal in eating. Mine do much better in smaller spaces when they are being raised up. Gives them security and the temp and humidity can be regulated better.

Just my opinion on how i do things. I am sure most people will disagree.
-----
Signature edited

i agree with all of what has been said above just relax take it slow you and the snake have alot of years ahead of you you will get there. like i said in my previous post i am new to keeping myself but in the last 7 months i have learned quiet a bit some technices i have tried others i havent at the end of the day its whats best for your snake that counts and people find different ways they feel comfortable providing these things to there snake. sit bck and enjoy this its a wonderfull thing you have started and i guarantee you wont stop. most of the guys here are testament to that.

regards cheesy
-----
Cheesemonkey

maybe most but not all. I keep my kings and rats to 1 year in a 4H"X9L"X9W" Glad food storage box. 1-2 year olds get into a3X12X12 Sterlite with lid. 2-3 goes into large Sterlite or 10-20 gallon tanks. Some say cramped but I think cozy. The big rats and pits get 40 breeders or 55 gallon pairs or trios.
-----
Todd Hughes