Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I bought an Mexican Black King about two and a half months ago. I was told that it was an adult, it's about 4.3" long and has a pretty good sized girth (MUCH larger than a quarter that I hear someone say that some kings should be). My question is... I thought that when a snake became an adult that they no longer shed every month like the babies do. Well mine has shed twice already...so does this mean that he's still growing and just how big do these guys get?

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MissHisssss

Shedding that often might, but not necessarily, indicate some sort of skin health problem. I hope you have it qaurantined. And keep it dry. I could be little jumpy though since I just lost a milk snake to blister disease.
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On second thought, maybe it's not really an adult. Just a juve that grew really fast and still is. I don't know, never listen to me.
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He's been eating like a pig. His X owner only gave him one adult mouse a week. I gave him one adult mouse and a few hoppers/wearners/fuzzies (depending) that my others didn't eat. I was hoping the extra food was just makin him grow a bit. His skin/scales look healthy and super shinny. I'm sorry you lost your milk. Sniff. I hope this guy's alright.

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MissHisssss

I just saw your second post. I was told he was a breeder...if one can believe what one is told. His girth is about the size of a... mmmmm.... let's just say that I think I could just get my finger to touch my thumb if I encircled his girth. He's pretty big.

MissHissssss

Frequent shedding is the result (usually) of either rapid growth or the healing process. One thing that tends to be overlooked in evaluating growth is that snakes too have their giants & dwarfs even within a single litter! Your snake may just be one of those potentially over sized specimens. More likely it is on a growth spurt caused by over feeding. This can be dangerous to a snake for the same reasons that it is for people. The girth you mention...and the amount of food suggest this to be the correct answer.
Frank

Thanks Frank. Actually, he doesn't seem that much bigger than when I got him. I fed him more because one adult mouse didn't even make a lump in him and I thought a few fuzzies, or hoppers, or a wearner and a fuzzy or two would be a more satisying meal. He just seems sooooooo ravenous. Even hurt his mouth banging against the glass of the feeder aqaurium when he missed his mark. He is just sooooo pretty, but I surely don't want to harm him by feeding him too much. So is just one mouse all I should give him when he's so big?

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MissHissss