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I've had a Florida Kingsnake for two weeks now. For the first week and a half she's slept a lot and rather often would slither around her tank, especially at night I'd notice her circling her tank and tapping the glass with her head, I'd imagine looking for a way out.

But as of Saturday the 10th, today being the 15th, she seems to be much less active, choosing to hide under her branch or in her warm hide. I haven't noticed her as active as I remember her and I'm a little worried. I fed her a furry on monday and she ate it hungrily. But it's Thursday now and I've checked her cage and she hasn't seemed to pooped it out. When I fed her the first time, there was waste two days later, could that have been from a previous feed? Maybe I need to dig in the aspen bedding for her waste?

I just held her today and now she seems a bit more active in her cage. When I held her though, she seemed much more rigid than when I've held her in the past. This time she's even opened her mouth next to my finger. I thought she was about to bite me and I said "no no no" (almost in a voice you'd use with a baby or toddler) and she just closed her mouth and went back to wrapping around my hands.

I have one side of her cage with a heat mat, the other side has no heating a a fan blowing over the top of that end. Her branch is in the front middle of her cage with her water basin (which I keep regularly filled with bottled water, could that be it? That's the only thing that's changed, from tap water because I read tap water had chlorine in it, since her behaviour has seemed to change.)

Maybe I'm getting nervous over nothing and this is usual? She shed just a few days before I bought her and she doesn't show any signs of shedding.

I just want to make sure she's okay.

I would feed her another mouse or two. Opening her mouth near your finger may indicate she was looking for food. I imagine you are aware of this, but she cannot hear your voice when you say "no, no, no".

I know, they're deaf, but I still talk to her all the time haha. Just thought it was interesting that she had her mouth open on my finger like she was about to bite and then backed away.
So, How often should I be feeding her? I was told one furry a week, but should it be two? Would I feed them to her one after another or wait a day or two?

I would feed her a small mouse as often as every 3 to 4 days if she is eating well and growing. Florida kings that are well fed can really put on some length quickly. They will fill out later. Once she is mature you can slow down the feeding, but a growing yearling can pack away a lot of food. In my experience, the youngsters that are well fed become the largest, best breeding adults.

A fan? That can be dehydrating, unless you live in a humid area.

I would turn off the fan if air is being blown in the tank.

Also, kingsnakes need moisture. The easiest method is to put the snake in a plastic container with only about 1/4 inch of water - you don't want the snake to be floating, it should be able to touch the bottom without needing to swim. Leave it in there for a few minutes - that will hydrate the snake. Then your cage can be essentially dry except for the water dish. Do this as needed - more during dry times, unneeded during humid times. Really does wonders for its well-being. Good to do after a snake has been shipped.

The open mouth kind of tells me it may be near a shed cycle? Or it was simply re-adjusting its jaws. Or it is hungry. Hard to say from here.

Also, behavior is not constant at all times of the year. There can be fluctuations seasonally in appetite, activity, etc.

Now, two days later, she's shed? I never saw her eyes get milky..

n/p