Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok i am getting my first snake in the next couple weeks. someone is giving it away to me. im very excited as i have wanted to get into snakes for a little while now, but have focused mainly on geckos and bearded dragons so far. i just have a few questions.

first off, whats a good book that i should get? is the book by AVS decent?

second, do kingsnakes like to climb? i have read confilicting things on the internet. i suppose its up to the individual snake, but do they have a tendency to like climbing? should i set up sticks and what not for it?

third, when it comes time to pick up a snake, do i do so from the middle of its body? i believe that is what i have seen others do, but i want to make sure. i know they have delicate spines and i do not wish to harm it in any way

and lastly, is it possible to sex a king (its 3 feet long right now) without probing? and if so, how do i do it?

thanks
kevin

My florida king is a very active climber, but I think it depends on the snake. You want to set up sturdy sticks (driftwood works best) in your snake's cage, so thay can climb, and it gives them a sence of sequrity. Just make sure not to collect sticks from outside; they might carry mites. Buy some driftwood from your local petstore.