Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i just bought a 4 month old mexican black kingsnake from a pet store. when i first got it and put it in it's cage it would move around a lot. the whole day today all it does is just lay there. i guess it's sleeping? i thought these snakes were supposed to more active compared to other snakes.

Do you have a hide spot. Hatchlings need some plac to hide to feel safe, or they will lay still and won't even eat.

yes i do, i have one of those hiding logs, and aspen substrate. all he does is hide underneath the substrate and doesn't move

Do you hav a warm spot around 85-90 degrees? If so, sounds like everthing is just right. Give it a week or two to adjust, it should be just fine.

i have it at 82 degrees, is that too low? i bought a heatpad instead of a light.

Try 85-90, thats what I have maintaned during the day, you can cut it back at night. My eastern king is over 20yrs. old, my fl. king about 10yrs. several cal. kings 5 or 6yrs. all do great at those temps.

>>i have it at 82 degrees, is that too low? i bought a heatpad instead of a light.

I've kept cal kings, chain kings, nelsons, hondurans, etc. at 80-82 for many years and they've thrived at those temps.

there are lots of diff management methods that work. I think your temp's just fine. and you're right with a heatpad instead of a light, that's the better way to do it. be sure to measure temps at diff places in your tank, because they'll vary a LOT between right over the heatpad, below & on top of the substrate, at the other end of the tank, etc.

terry

thanks for the tips guys, and another thing...is it bad to handle your snake too much? there any recommended handling tips?

>>thanks for the tips guys, and another thing...is it bad to handle your snake too much? there any recommended handling tips?

well, don't handle it for a day or two, at least, after it eats; don't handle it for the six days or so each month that it's "in shed" or "blue". Other than that, remember that your snake can be frightened by you and may prefer isolation--being handled is not the natural thing for it. Different species, and different individuals of the same species, will react differently to handling. You need to get it used to being handled gradually. If it responds with apparent fright then try to move more slowly, or leave it alone and try again later or the next day. Don't reach for the head, and don't touch it close to the tail, both of those contacts are likely to startle the snake. When you handle it always keep its body supported. Don't let it hang around your neck like a necklace (that's my personal preference being expressed there). When you first start handling it, it's a good idea to do so while sitting on the floor with it, so if it darts out of your hands it doesn't have a long fall that might injure it or make it even less tolerant of your handling in the future. I'm sure others here will have other tips. Bottom line is, you're responsible for its well being, so be careful, and observe the snake's behavior and try to respond to it.

good luck and enjoy your pet,
terry

you don't sound like the kind of person who needs this tip, but for others who might read this thread, here's one more tip: Never use your snake to frighten other people--don't stick it in the faces of people who are afraid of it, and don't force people to confront it who don't want to. That's kids' stuff.

td

My Cali King has been sitting in the same spot for the past 2 days! He just ate 3 fuzzies on Sat. then has been sitting on the warm side of the tank not moving. They will do that once in awhile I guess. My snake is also ready to shed so I think that could be the case.He doesn't hide under the subtrate to often though and can usually been seen hiding in a half-a-log or sitting on his tree branch.

My yellow rat snake ALWAYS hides under the aspen subtrate.Most of the time the tank looks empty! I have to dig him out everyday to see if he didn't escape! Sometimes I see him peek his head out and drink some water then slide right back into the hole he just came out of.Also once in awhile I see him sitting in a bush or tree I have in his enclosure...but I wouldn't worry about it as long as the snake is eatting.

OK...saw your thread several days ago when my Cali King was doing the same thing. We got him 5/26 and he was very active and hungry, fed him well on 5/28, then on 6/01 he went under the substrate and wouldn't come out. We were very concerned and checked the forum for similar questions, we also called a reptile person we know and he said the same thing "don't worry just wait and see". Well low and behold he emerged sometime in the night on 6/7 and shed his skin. He is back to his old antics.. you know trying to escape and climbing all over the place.

With all of that said, how is your snake? Did he do the same thing?

that's good to hear with your snake. my snake is exactly like yours. it always moves around trying to escape its cage. it moves around more so i guess its natural for the snake to not move for the first couple days