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I caught a wild eastern banded hatchling a little over 2 months ago. I've tried every method reccomended short of assist feeding. She is definately not interested in pinkies or scented pinkies live or f/t. About 2 weeks ago, however, in order to get a feeding response i put a Georgia brown snake(decayed?) roughly her size and possibly larger. she ate it in 2 hours. I do have a brazilian long tailed lizard that's been living in there for a week now, however i am not getting a feeding response. they have become friends. I would rather not continue to feed her snakes. Does anyone have any other ideas? Also, how long can the newborn survive on a snake it has eaten that is equal size?

Depending on temps, over a year. Try fuzzies and make sure its hydrated. That is soooooooooooooo important with neonate kings. And that does not mean drinking water, its more about water loss to dry air. Good luck

Where did you catch that king (State & county)? Appears to be an intergrade. I like the pattern.
Brad

I caught her in Lowndes county/ hayneville area of Alabama. The majority of kingsnakes I have found in that area have fine speckling and little to no bands, or they are mainly banded. This was the first one I've caught with great pattern. I always catch and release, but I could not let go of this little guy. Any ideas on what kind of intergrade? I'm fairly new at field herping

Many years ago a friend caught a gravid female getula and gave me some hatchlings. Those babies could not have cared less about pinky mice. Out of desperation I caught some chorus frogs and threw them in the cage. The babies went nuts and ate every one. After a few chorus frogs they took mice fine and grew with no further issues.
I have been told by others never to feed frogs to snakes because of parasites, but I have never had a problem with it. Beautiful little king, by the way.

Interesting. I'll have to look up chorus frogs. I know the pond behind our apartment is full of frogs and tad poles. I can't believe she devoured the snake so quickly and is warming up to the lizard. It makes no sense. I'm going to try pinkies one more time and then frogs it is.

I believe getula babies are hard-wired to eat what they most often encounter for their first meals. And they encounter lots more small frogs than they encounter baby mice! I have a baby indigo that wanted no part of mice, quail, goldfish, frozen/thawed fish, etc., etc. I tried every type of animal protein I could find, but no go. Would not even eat road-killed toad, and indigos love toads. Finally, I threw in a baby cornsnake (DOR) and the vault was open. It inhaled that cornsnake with gusto. Now it eats mice and quail with no issue. I think that some baby snakes are sometimes hard-wired to begin life eating cold-blooded prey. Simply because that is what they encounter much more frequently.

Quick addendum. Some baby getula have no problem starting out on pinkies, but seems like L. getula getula prefer cold-blooded food for first meals. Find a DOR snake and offer pieces of it to that baby. Just freeze the DOR and carve off a meal every few days.

That's a great idea! Forgive my ignorance, but what does the acronym dor mean; dead on road? I've had some luck recently with herping around Atlanta. I'm mostly only finding eastern water snakes and decayed. We just recently had a cool front come in, but I'm sure it will be hot pretty soon. I was thinking about setting up and entry only trap with a bait mouse inside. I have never tried a trap, but I'd really like the little fee low to make it until I can get him on pinkies.

Here's another picture

Yes, DOR means dead on road. Again, that is a beautiful little king.

I believe getula babies are hard-wired to eat what they most often encounter for their first meals. And they encounter lots more small frogs than they encounter baby mice!"

Very interesting input Tim! Great post!!!
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Genesis 1:1