Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently got a cal. striped king (baby, about 18inches) and since this past thurs. aug. 12th it has eaten 4 pinkies. I have read that they usually eat 1-2 per week, and i was wondering if i just have a hungry snake or will she overeat as much as i feed her? Everytime she has eaten it has been either a one or two day old pinkie(frozen) that i defrosted in warm water, and i hold the pinkie with a small pair of tweezers and move it around for my snake(Snuggles) to chase. She is pooping regularly and has not regurgitated at all. Just wondering if this is normal or should I stop offering food except once a week. thanks -Joe

Cali Kings are known pigs. They will eat all the time if you let them. My cali was 16 inches long when I got him earlier this year and is now pushing 30 inches long and he is only a year old so they can grow rather fast! An 18 inch snake should not be feeding on day old pinkies. I would move up to fuzzies. You can feed the snake 2 fuzzies every 5-7 days. Cali's can grow rather quick and pinkies really do not provide much as far as nutritional value goes.You could even feed him 2 fuzzies every 3-5 days if you want just as long as he doesn't get constipated. If he does show signs of constipation you can cure this with a warm damp dish towel and a small enclosure for the snake. They will usually 'go' within 20-30 mins.

Like I said my snake was 16 inches long as of May,shed 5 times and is currently 29 2/3's inches long and is now ready to shed yet again. He moved up in prey size quick. I fed him pinkies the first day I had him and he ate 4 in one sitting and would have eatten more but I was out! I would have fed him fuzzies right off the bat but I didn't have any. Anyway he is now eatting large hoppers and small adult mice no problems at all. I'll feed him 2 hoppers or one small adult mouse on Saturday and by Monday - Tuesday he is out looking for food! I am only feeding him once every 7 days now but sometimes if my other snakes will not eat on Saturday i'll try again on Wed,and if they don't eat the F/T mouse then the cali 'pig' snake will be more then happy to eat!

I feed my cal king 2-3 small fuzzies about every five days. He is probably 20" or so. Watch their behavior. When my snakes are on the prowl, I know they are hungry. When I fed them this weekend, the weren't out much. As of this evening, they were both starting to run around and left me some big surprises.

were did you get your snake i got mine at a reptile show in ventura

I basically rescued mine from a BAD pet store. She was a new arrival, which didnt make sense because this store just lost it's reptile permit. I looked her over and she has no visible signs of illness. Her poop looks good and she eats great, so i am glad i got her out of that place when i did.