Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just wanted to post updated pics of my 16 month old California from Bishop, CA. He has been a great snake, eating from the start. I did have problems this summer when he stopped eating for 3 months for no apparent reason. I posted pics here and he never looked unhealthy, just not interested in eating although he would cruise. All of a sudden he started eating again and has been a hog since noticeably growing.

Very docile snake, has never bitten when someone is holding. Hard to measure, but somewhere 30-34".

Size and looks normal for his age?

He stopped feeding because he wanted to breed. Mature males will do that during spring and summer months.

get the poor sap a female!
-----
www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

First off, he is one pretty cal king! For a 16 month old I would say he is long but he does look a tad thin to me. Could be the photos though. Others here have way more experience than me so let them jump in. I have a three year old female that is 36 inches long and has never missed a meal. Eats like crazy. So at 16 months old he is way ahead of her in the legnth department. She is much thicker though and retained that thickness throughout her growing.

Man that sounds like a fast grower for a Cal King...what a beauty!!! Hard to beat the simple elegance of that species.
I have to WC Cals and both are PITA feeders and are on the crawl a lot. Can never tell when they'll eat.

I wouldn't say that snake is thin. That's the normal body structure for a Cal king in the wild. Captive specimens often cary more weight but that doesn't mean they are healthier. I think you have the 16 month age and size wrong. Maybe you found him as a yearling and don't realize it? Also he didn't eat for 3 of those months, just doesn't sound right and doesn't look like the structure of a snake very very well fed. I can't say I've power fed a neonate for 16 months to know but from what I've seen here it just doesn't sound right. Correct me if I'm wrong. And BTW that's a nice looking snake.
-----

The parents may be Bishop WC, but this was one was bred by Shannon on here (High Sierra Reptiles). It was born July 12th, 2008. I would say closer to 30" than 34". I don't think I've powerfed it, I feed it (3) 5 gram fuzzies a week. Of course this is my first snake and not much other experience.

It says 30-34, I thought it said around 34". I'd say its possible to get 27-30" if fed quite a bit but that snake looks thin for being power fed. Whatever it is I'm not trying to criticize the snake at all. Hope you don't take it like that.
-----

That's a perfect cal king!
-----
Todd Hughes

Good looking b&w King. It's from a Bishop locale? Very nice. Here's my male from Kern Co.

reako45

very striking!
-----
Todd Hughes