Reptile & Amphibian Forums

On a percentage basis, how often do your kingsnakes defecate while you are handling them? How long can you handle them before they have a little accident? Do you have any techniques for minimizing these incidents?

I'm not talking about a snake becoming upset at being taken out of the cage and spraying musk. I'm talking about a snake suddenly getting a relaxed look on his face that you've come to recognize as a sign that prevention is too late. Don't take this question the wrong way. I'm glad that his system is working well. He's gained from 310 to 350 grams in the three months that I've owned him. I'm just wondering if others have this problem.

Thanks,

Bill

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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

well Bill, Honestly I can't recall that ever happening to me. I tend to only handle my snakes for about ten minutes at a time though. At the most I have them out for 20. hmmmm

Dawn

I sense that you have the basis for an experiment. If you hold one longer, will he/she decide to let go on you.

Thanks,

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

Hey Bill!

I have had my kingsnake for over a year now, and yes, I have had him deficate on me a couple times, But I take him out for about an hour each day. It's happened maybe 10 times in a year...so not that often. I find that it happens most when he is scared (if someone moves to quickly around him). Not a big deal, wash it off and keep enjoying him.

You are seeing an interesting difference in behavior. I find that my guy is most likely to defecate when there is no movement. He doesn't seem startled at all and is not doing anything else when he lets go. As you said, it's not a big deal. That's why they make various products to control pet odors. I just wondered whether others were experiencing the same thing and if they had remedies.

Thanks,

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

timing is everything. what goes in must come out, and when it does it will be at the most inconvenient and or embarassing moment. keep track of how long passes from feeding to defecation. if you know your snake has passed it's last meal you are safe.

I like your suggestion. As a matter of practice, I've been recording my snake's food intake and output from the time that I've had him. So far, I'm not seeing any consistent patterns, but I'll keep looking. For the past couple of feedings, he's defecated in two bowel movements. They are about a day apart, but I don't yet have a steady timing from the last feeding. I feed him every seven days, and he defecated on me on day six. From what I've heard other people say, he may be a tad underweight, so I'm happy to feed him frequently and clean up messes to make him stronger. When he reaches a good weight, I may increase the feeding interval to ten days. Right now, he's about 42 inches long and weighs 350 grams. I feed him about 30 grams of mouse (adult fuzzy) per feeding.

Thanks,

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

If he has a habit of doing that, maybe what you can do when you first take him out is soak him in a tub of tepid water to encourage a bowl movement in the water.
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www.BugChick.com

chickabowwow

I like this suggestion also and have used this practice. When I first bought my snake, he wouldn't defecate, and I became very worried. Someone suggested the soaking technique, and it's worked almost every time. For a while, I couldn't get him to defecate except by soaking him. I joked that the previous owner must have potty trained this snake.

Within about a month, I figured out that he wasn't defecating because I was underfeeding him. The pet store where I bought him was underfeeding him, and I was doing what they were doing. When I started increasing his food intake, he started gaining weight and defecating on his own.

Do you think there's any danger to soaking a snake to make it defecate once a week or so? I'm inclined to let him do what comes naturally for him most of the time, but I will soak occasionally.

Thanks,

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

this is a bit off subject but i pottey trained my iguana that why by puttin her in the tub to let her go, and now i have a litter box on her perch with a bit of water in it and thats the only place shell go cept 4 the bad aim incidents once in awhile