Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, I posted a little while back about my 2 california kingsnake 04 problem feeders.

1 was an albino striper, and the other was a SPECTACULAR normal striper.

Everything that people suggested(except live pinkies)I tried, and it didn't work.

The albino striper ended up eating a week after my Part 2 of this topic, and she eats every 3-5 days now, whenever I throw in a pinky, and she usually catches them before, or just as they hit the substrate.

The normal striper on the other hand, was still a pain. I retried everything again. Brained pinkies, put her into a container with a pinky, put her with a brained pinky, left pinkies in overnight, put a few pinkies in her enclosure so she had to of seen them, scented pinkies, nothing worked. Even tried some live garter snakes, still nothing.

I got her in the beginning of May. She first ate for me on May 6th, and then once again on May 11th. That was it.

Out of desperation, I gave her a Night Snake. The Night Snake was really no competition for her, except for the venom and all lol, she was only bigger than him by a few inches. As soon as he moved, the king grabbed him, then he grabbed her on the neck, so I'm hoping the kings are immune to night snake venom. She ended up grabbing him on the upper jaw, bending it's lower jaw further down, and then she twisted around to the point where you could hear bones cracking. After about an hour, she consumed him fully.

I'm hoping that she doesn't get a fixation for snakes, considering it's rare I have smooth scaled snakes to use as feeders. And I'm hoping after this she'll start feeding more again, I know some people have fed snakes to problem feeders and they started feeding alot again. Just keeping everyone updated...

Mike
Michael's Place

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Michael's Place has updated, better caresheets
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
Helmz777@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake

...Yo Mike, if ya want to see an incredible feeding response...get out, flip some trash n logs & collect a limit of skinks. These are the ultimate prey for most kings (& many other neonate colubrids). I lost one of the Hubb-str's zonatas one day...outside! & trapped the sob in my skink vivarium...tho it was one fat zony when I checked the trap...hahahaha
Raiding mammal nests is dangerous for little colubrids...most spps. are hardwired = DNA-linked behavior to fear rodent scent....why would you want to put a neonate in fear????
W/ getulus, I recommend offering pinkies to the wad of them [post shed], seperate those that feed on them & move on to lizards w/ the others. W/ the mtn kings I dont even try to start em on pinks...

Buena suerte / RxR

Hi regalringneck,
That is one beautiful Coral Snake picture!
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AQ
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Biochemistry is the aweinspiring study of the fires of life
in all its glorious biodiversity.

Yes that was a treat to witness. Fretting about feeding it tho...
I like your signature quote too...somehow...while drowning in baby-biochem (for non-majors no less!)...I never heard that!
Anyway...Mike scent w/ the skinks...dont feed em off unless you have to. Rub a F/T pinky & cross your fingers....

RxR

I actually have no skinks in my area. The closest I am in finding skinks in PA is about 10 miles away from me, and to travel that far, for 2 skinks(legally...) it would just not be worth it. Plus if I get any skinks, they are most likely scarlet king food.

I do have a couple adult five lined(eh I don't know?) skinks in the freezer, they are a good size for the cali king, so if she refuses mice again, I'll be trying one of those.

Mike
Michael's Place

-----
Michael's Place has updated, better caresheets
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
Helmz777@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake

it good to hear you got it to eat but if it gets hooked on live snakes that is going to be a pain but i sure you know that.i would try scenting pinkies with night snake and move it around with tweezers,as if it where alive. if the snake doesn't keep the snake down make sure it has water it will be very dehidryed good luck keep us up to date
kevin

Hey guys, do any of you ever worry about feeding your king things from the wild such as skinks? Do they generally not carry parasites or diseases of any kinds? I'm just really apprehensive of feeding my snake something I shouldn't. He's so young, I don't wanna lose him.