Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering whether anybody has had success with the t rex lizard scent stuff to get their baby snakes eating? I have 21 stubborn ruthven's kings that are snubbing their noses at f/t pinkies right now. I've got some Lizard Maker on the way,but if it doesn't work I guess its Anole scenting time. Kevin

I just got some of that yesterday. I have a GBK hatchling. I tried it, but so far nothing. Derek

When you have a number of neonates that are reluctant to feed on pinkies(ruthvens do eat pinkies) You must look at your husbandry, and possibly adjust it. The snakes are telling you something is not right, your task is to listen and do something about it.

There are lots of people hatching and raising ruthvens kings, are they all having problems with all their babies??

Check for the basics, temps, to much dehydration, not sufficent humidity levels(those last two are totally different things) security and mental fitness(not out in the open and scared to death(coming soon).

I am suppose to be very good with captive reptiles(other people say so) But when I have a problem, I look to myself and not at the snakes.

Of course if the neonates are small for hatchlings, or skinny(did not absorb the yolk) of deformed(kinks) those are good reasons for a neonate to be a reluctant feeder, but those are also the keepers fault. So I suggest go over your husbandry, show picks of how they are set up, maybe some one could offer some real help.

Also, anoles are horrible(hehehehehehe) if your from the east, try those little brown ground skinks, the ones at the base of cypress trees, they are similar to skinks found where these snakes occur. Cheers FR

Very good points. Thanks for the advice. I'll be trying everything for sure to get these guys going. They all hatched out two weeks ago with little lumps in their stomachs from their yolks and they look great. They poked the pinkies with there noses but turned away so maybe they're not ready to eat yet. The temps are in the upper seventies and they are housed individually in 9.5" x 6" containers with aspen bedding and with small waterbowls that they climb on and in. Kevin

Also, I forgot to mention, that sometimes neonates don't automatically go for frozen thawed. It might be worth trying live. Sometimes, it sounds gross, but poke a little tiny hole in a frozen thawed day old pinks head, and squeeze some brain matter out. Some neonates go for this, but I am no expert, it is just some ideas that I have picked up from the forums. Derek Lee

One thing about these snakes I have found, along with other kingsnakes, is that they seem to be fond of a substrate that they can get into that holds humidity and moisture.

I wish I knew what the ideal amounts were, but I haven't a clue. I just know when given a choice between a damp hide and a dry hide, most of the time is spent in the damp hide by hatchlings. I also know that the few neonate mtn kings I've found in the wild were under objects over slightly-moist earth. Not wet, but not dry. Just a very slight dampness.

I tried Eco-Earth or whatever that ground-up coconut husk stuff is. Neonate Mtn kings would burrow right in the dampened substrate and stay there for days. I would let the substrate dry out some before moistening. There were no skin infections or any other problems. And they ate well. Even one hatchling that was stubborn as heck at first when kept dry. Is it related? Don't really know for sure. I also washed the thawed pinks first as usual.

A large breeder uses deli cups in the shoeboxes. The deli-cup lid has a hole, and the cup is filled with slightly-damp shpagnum. And the hatchlings are in that cup 99% of the time for their first 6 months or so. By choice.

In my opinion, mtn king babies are sensitive to lack of moisture (and ruthveni are montane snakes so to speak.) Whether fixing that is enough to get them to feed on pinks I have no idea. Lizard scenting with skink or sceloperous-type lizards does wonders, but it is always nice when you can get along without that.

Great points. I read somewhere else that they like it a little moist in the cage. I'm going to make some moist hide spots and see if that helps also. I just brained 21 pinks and one snake ate so far. One down and 20 more to go. I used to catch those little brown ground skinks in east texas but here in colorado where I'm at there isn't any small skinks. Also,newborn deer mice are taken without hesitation I've noticed in the past with some of my snakes,but I don't know of anybody breeding deer mice.

The thing about the deer mice I would assume that they occur in the natural surroundings of your snakes,if so it makes since that they would take quicker something more natural.Just my .02 worth.

Toby

That was great info. I use jungle mix from ESU and my ruthven does prefer the moist hide area over the dry.
Since I can tell you know what your talking about let me ask you-What do you consider ideal temp for them?
Mine was kept without extra heat during the summer day average 84 night average 80 and doing great.
Would you maintan same temps come winter or cooler,etc? He eats 1 to 2 pinkies per week at these temps.
I am not sure if they need to brumate and if not needed I rather not as coolest temp I can provide is 60 .
thanks

Never bred this type of snake, but upper 70s sounds low......can you give them a hotspot of 80-85 to thermo regulate......also try cutting pinks in half crosswise. mike b

CHRIS' COLUBRIDS