Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We adopted this Kingsnake a little while back and I'm hoping you can tell me a bit more about what morph it is ext.

He settled in, shed & began eating without much difficulty. In fact he will eat a hopper per week and perhaps more. I'm wondering if he my need to be offered two at a time, then fed less frequently. Any input on that?

No idea how old he is but he's about 4 feet long. He's also very social and loves (I'd dare say craves) being handled. So I'd assume whoever owned him previously spent lots of time with him.

His coloring is Dark Brown (almost black)& Banana Yellow with Steely Blue Eyes.

Are you sure its a male? Females generally eat more than males. Looks like an adult striped california kingsnake, getula california... they have big appetites. My female cal king can put down a dozen hoppers in a week. There are a lot of different opinions about how much to feed kingsnakes on this forum. I personally feed my male kings one large mouse or one weaned rat every four to five days. My female breeders eat much more. I feed my kings as much as they want to eat. Its all about observation. Find out how much is enough for your snake in your situation.

I have no idea the sex of coarse. Just know it will not take full size mice when offered but seems to be a bottomless pit with the hoppers.

A very beautiful striped California king you have there!
He should be eating large adult mice. If it were me, I would feed him those.

Good score!
-----
Genesis 1:1

I started off offering full grown mice and the snake would not take them. I suppose they are just a little to big.

>>I started off offering full grown mice and the snake would not take them. I suppose they are just a little to big.

That snake should be able to eat a full grown mouse with no problem at all.
-----
Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com

In fact he will eat a hopper per week and perhaps more. I'm wondering if he my need to be offered two at a time, then fed less frequently. Any input on that?

IMO you have him on a starvation diet.

You are underfeeding him. Feed him two large adult mice per week. Preferably one every three days. He is still growing and won't get fat. You could bump that up to 3 adult mice per week if he still want more. I would try that!

By underfeeding a cal king that size one hopper or two hoppers per week will make him malnourished and a unhealthy adult later in life. They need good nutrition early in life to develope properly.

Also take the "once per week" feeding and throw it out. Feed him every 3-4 days and you can try two mice per feeding. If he eats then he is hungry. You can't over feed a growing pet snake. if you decide to breed him , then you will have to keep feeding him as males shut down
-----
Why I say, you attack is, you do not consider anything said, and use random questions that do not relate to the subject or the train of thought that will allow you to learn about the subject. You jump back and forth in some random line of questioning base on what you do not understand.

FR

Yeah, good advise from everyone about upping the feeding. One hopper a week for that sized king is pretty much starving it. I'm glad you came here for advise. It is a striped Cal king and that pattern is more common in Western Riverside Co. CA. Good luck with him.
-----

First off beautiful Cal King, congratulations¡
I have to agree, with at least 2 adult mice a week is more appropriate for a King that size.
-----
Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com

Thanks for all the great info. It does reinforce what I'm already getting figured out. I have fed twice this week, but where it will not take a full size mouse yet I'll start offering 2 hoppers twice a week.

Thank you all very much.

Are you feeding him live mice? Sometimes snakes that have been fed dead mice for most or all their lives are intimidated by live mice. That is why they are more likely to take the smaller ones. If you are feeding dead mice, you may have to let him go hungry for a week then place him, and the large mouse in a qiuet place for a couple hours till he get's the hint. Good luck with him!
-----
Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com

Umm, it is not that he can't take that size mouse. it is that he was malnutritioned under the care he had. That is one of the results associated with malnutritioned kingsnakes. Think of one of those defomed children in Africa with the extended stomachs. They wouldn't know what to do with a steak and potatoes meal either.

What you need to do is first try a stunned (dead) mouse. If he refuses that then give him a hopper and throw the stunned mouse on top of him once he starts feeding on the small hopper. This will esentially trick the snake to continue feeding on the large mouse and he will"imprint" on that as a food item.

You came here with a question and we all agree that snake is way to big to be getting only 2 small hoppers a month. Now you need to accpt that and try and do everything you can to save him. You some common sense. If he only takes hoppers . WELL THEN FEED HIM 8 HOPPERS A WEEK! It is real simple. Feed the guy!

If you feed him 8 hoppers a week then he might get healthy and will take a large adult mouse.

Remember it is not that he "can't" eat one. It's because he refuses! Now it is up to you to get him where he needs to be. There are several suggestions i proposed above, but there are other ideas. So if you try the above and he still refuses then come back and ask. We are here to help.
-----
Why I say, you attack is, you do not consider anything said, and use random questions that do not relate to the subject or the train of thought that will allow you to learn about the subject. You jump back and forth in some random line of questioning base on what you do not understand.

FR

Thanks. But don't worry, as I said before I've been rapidly increasing the feeding because the snake was still hungry. Last two feedings were Wednesday & again Saturday. I am going to feed him again today after I get home from work.

Snake has been eating thawed frozen mice without hesitation except for ignoring the larger ones. I like your suggestion and will give him a hopper followed by a full size tonight and see if that will step him up. If he still refuses I can just thaw another hopper and try stepping him up again in a few days.

Chasing a hopper with a larger mouse should work as I've done it a few times myself.

However, if it doesnt work, try leaving a large f/t mouse at the opening of a hide over night. i've had a few nervous snakes only eat larger prey with that method. apparently they need to take their time and feel more comfortable at night.

Great suggestion!

Tonight he ate the hopper and after investigating it a short time he ate the full size one.

Hopefully he will now stick to full size and I'll keep feeding him twice a week and see how it goes.

That's great!

Now he should always take the adults mouse.
-----
Why I say, you attack is, you do not consider anything said, and use random questions that do not relate to the subject or the train of thought that will allow you to learn about the subject. You jump back and forth in some random line of questioning base on what you do not understand.

FR

If you have access to different size mice, you can gradually increase the size of the mouse so he doesn't notice the change. I breed my own mice, and rats, so that would be very easy for me, maybe not so much for everyone.
-----
Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com