Reply by PHFaust — 2026-02-04 16:27:16 GMT

>>I've had my cali king (sub-adult) for a short time. He seems to stay on the cool side of his enclosure constantly. He ate yesterday and still is staying on the cool side. Is this normal behavior?
>>
>>He has adequate hides on the warm side...

What are the temps on each side? Tell us about your set up? Do you have photos?
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Reply by AaronBayer — 2026-02-04 15:30:51 GMT

Yeah, they won't always use heat. It's just important that it's available to them when they need it.

Reply by King — 2024-07-26 04:00:16 GMT

Hi,
I think I can help a bit. My kings would grow to full adult size in 3-4 years.

As for the feeding, it is common for them to rest after eating and that's best. If they get handled too much or spooked, they could regurgitate the mouse. Especially young ones who don't know better. They know what's best for them and it's fine. Keep an eye on them for when it's time to shed. They shed more often when they are young and growing.

I've never tried to hibernate a king so I can't comment on this.

Hope I helped out some.

King

Reply by markg — 2021-01-12 00:01:56 GMT

Not telling you what you should do, and of course separating baby Cal kings is best, but here is a tidbit of info:

One year I had a clutch of B&W x coastal phase cal kings hatch, and I left them together even after they shed, and I kept them over the Winter together for a cooling period because many would not feed.

Eventually in Spring I separated them. After a while, I put the females together again in one 10 gal tank, and I put the males in another. That is when I had a few cannibals try to eat a cagemate. Caught them in time.

So, while they are together, the risk, though there, is low. But once you separate them, forget it. Don't combine them. I feel that in the wild this may be how things are. Babies that hatch in the same spot are mostly just fine with one another while they stay together. Even after they separate, I think some siblings are still fine with one another. But an unrelated snake would be a more likely target.

Reply by jeffb — 2020-10-09 19:18:48 GMT

>>Thanks Jeff. Then how long can I safely keep them together?
It's a risk to keep them together now but the risk dramatically increases once they have shed.
Get some plastic shoeboxes at walmart and get them separated. They don't need anything fancy at this age

Reply by steeve111 — 2020-10-09 18:40:40 GMT

Thanks Jeff. Then how long can I safely keep them together?

Reply by jeffb — 2020-10-09 14:34:06 GMT

Cal kings are pretty aggressive feeders and can down much larger pinkies than you's expect - that said contact your mouse supplier and see if they have any day old pinkies available. They won't be hungry until they get their first shed which usually happens about a week/10 days after hatching

Reply by crimsonking — 2020-12-10 18:54:34 GMT

...maybe a bit warm but I'd make sure to give him a moist hide to escape to as well.
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Reply by crimsonking — 2020-02-06 03:51:00 GMT

can't see pic
:Mark
-----
Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Reply by markg — 2020-04-15 23:09:54 GMT

The cheaper aspen sold for rabbits and other small mammals IMO is better than the more expensive shredded aspen sold for reptiles. That is what I think anyway after trying just about everything.

I use the small animal aspen;
I put the water bowl on the cooler end of the tub;
For colubrids, I do about 82 deg F on the heat tape. Depends on the snake species;
I use hides - all of my snakes will use them at times, like during shed cycle. And then sometimes they don't. Many folks do not use hides in racks. The VE racks are dark inside, so you can get away with no hides. Also, some shy species still like hides, dark cage or not.

The only colubrids I keep anymore are a few Western hognose. Those things are funny, mine eat mice, ReptiLink frog sausages and quail sausages, and once in a while a piece of hardboiled egg.

Then I have some Antaresia pythons, awesome snakes.

Another note: I upgraded to a 70 qt tub (V70s) rack from a 28qt tub rack, and I highly recommend it if you have the room. Some of the colubrids that are near 4ft plus will appreciate it if you keep those. My Antaresia are only 3ft plus or minus, and I much prefer them in the 70qt tub (though the 28 qt probably is fine as far as they care.)

Reply by bluerosy — 2025-11-12 08:23:37 GMT

FR and Bluerosy here:

It's the others who took their ball and went home. ...home being (Facebook where any know-nothing can post any drivel they want)

You want a list of these folks?

If so, I can post who they are !!

They plagiarized our pages of words on Kinsnake and used them as their own on media to make themselves feel more accomplished. I would love to call them out if enough people are interested.

-----
FR quote:
"Doing the same things over and over expecting to learn something else, is the definition of insanity"

Reply by bakeaway — 2024-10-31 01:28:17 GMT

Hey...I know you posted this years ago. But I wondered also.
I had to downsize my collection and take a break, But when I came back, there was no one. Man do I remember the day when there were so many posts a day. FR, BlueRosy etc.
It was awesome.
-----
Ball Python
Jungle Carpet Python 1.0
Eastern King 0.1
Mexican Black King
Great Basin Gopher
Hypo Brooks 1.0
White Sided Bull 1.0 (Envy)
Striped Pacific Gopher (Envy)
Axanthic Brooksi 0.1 (Mark Kenderdine)
Goini King 1.0 (Mark Kenderdine)
Northern Pine 1.0 (Nick Puder)
Arizona Mtn. King 1.0 (AAM Snakes)
1.0 Pastel Red Tail Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn (Abbott line)

I love the smell of aspen shavings in the morning...lol

"To serve man..it's...it's a cookbook!"

Reply by Aaron — 2020-01-22 17:10:14 GMT

Haven't been here in a while. I think Facebook is what really did it in.
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www.hcu-tx.org/

Reply by BobS — 2019-12-22 08:35:55 GMT

There’s nobody here John. They all left a long time ago because of FR.

Colubrid crazy now has thousands of folks posting but it lacks focus and asking any kind of serious question is generally met with hundreds of answers from folks that don’t have any real experience so that’s kind of a negative there but this was a pretty toxic place for other reasons though it did yield some helpful answers in the past.

People are people but the internet can bring out the worst in us and ruin an enjoyable hobby?

Have a nice Christmas though. 👍

Reply by markg — 2019-05-04 00:08:18 GMT

That looks like a Queretaro kingsnake, also known as a Ruthven's kingsnake. They are high plateau dwelling kingsnakes, in pine-oak forest and thorn forest in an area in Mexico that is suffering from habitat loss due to deforestation.

These snakes do best with a warm area about 82 and a cooler background area. They need a moist hide during warm weather. Don't let them get too warm or too dry. Nice snakes.

Reply by tzahif — 2019-04-21 03:45:28 GMT

If it’s a milk snake what kind of milk
It doesn’t fit
Someone told me it’s a querataro king snake
Pleas only one who knows
I past that milk snake stage

Reply by jeffb — 2019-04-20 23:01:19 GMT

>>what kind of snake i have?
>>

Milk snake

Reply by markg — 2019-02-02 04:31:37 GMT

Look for the metal film lined bubble wrap. One brand is called Reflectix. Cut a piece that you can lay over the top of the entire screen top. Doing this, in some cases a heat pad is enough and no lights are needed. In summer or during warm weather you can remove it.

I fill a tank about 4-5 inches deep with Reptile Prime coconut substrate. Then I tape or Velcro a heat pad (Mylar heat pads are the best, like ultratherm or flukers to the back wall outside the tank so that the bottom of the heat pad is about 1 inch lower than the substrate top. Moisten the substrate liberally. Lay a piece of 3/4 or 1 inch pvc pipe on the substrate butted up against the heat pad. The humidity in the pipe will be perfect. Tape a piece of reflectix across the entire back wall over the heat pad. Cut a hole for the thermostat probe.

Reply by RinL — 2018-12-16 14:48:16 GMT

your temps seem fine. if the room is not too cold its fine if the night temps drop. the partial sheds are a sign that the humidity is too low. you can deal with this in several ways. put some damp spaghnum moss in her hide. you can also cover part of the top of her cage (if she is in an aquarium with a screen top. the air is drier in winter). you could also spray the substrate when she is in a shed cycle. the overhead lights will dry out the air. i have always just used an under tank heater with no tank lights. just the room light on a 12 on 12 off cycle.

Reply by eat2muchrice — 2018-12-15 18:06:37 GMT

Welcome, You seem to be doing a good job so far, not much to change with your setup. If sheds are broken you can increase the humidity just a little; either reduce airflow by covering up 80% of your screen, larger water dish or mist cage when you notice your snake is in shed. It’s ok for temps to slightly fluctuate in a day/night cycle and I’ve read night lights might stress nocturnal snakes like your milk snake, might want to switch back to using the under tank heat mat instead. Keep your day light on a timer and heat mat regulated with a thermostat controller. You can find plenty of care videos online, good luck!

Reply by rbichler — 2018-09-14 14:21:55 GMT

>>Thanks Bob,
>>
>> I will definitely try that. It had a Lizard the other day, so I will give it a week before I try it. How long can it go without eating?

he could go 3-4 weeks without eating, no problem. I would try the scented mouse first, for about 3 weeks, every 4-5 days, and if it won't take it try a lizard again.

Good luck
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R.Bichlers Colubrids

Reply by Acton — 2018-09-14 14:07:02 GMT

Thanks Bob,

I will definitely try that. It had a Lizard the other day, so I will give it a week before I try it. How long can it go without eating?

Reply by rbichler — 2018-09-14 06:53:56 GMT

>>I am hoping someone can help me. I recently bought a gray banded kingsnake. I'm guessing it's no more then a few months old. it's 10.5" long and 11.1 grams. The guy I got it from said he fed it baby lizards. I've had it now for a few weeks and have been trying to get it to eat pinky mice. I've tried live and F/T with no luck at all. It will eat lizards still. Any suggestion on how to get this little one to start eating pinky mice?

Take a thawed pink and rub it on a live lizard, around it's back of the legs, then put it in close to the snakes nose. and leave overnight. if it don't work the first time. try it again the following week. Once he takes it a few times, try it unscented first for a few hours. If he doesn't take it, scent it with the lizard. Sometimes you got to skip a week so he gets real hungry.

Good Luck, Bob

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R.Bichlers Colubrids

Reply by Dabster — 2018-08-01 16:45:51 GMT

Did you mean aspen? I've heard they're allergic to pine.

Hope he's better soon.

Reply by Ameron — 2019-01-16 01:37:00 GMT

Over ten years ago, I had an adult male. He was stereotypical in his mild demeanor and predictable behavior. I enjoyed him for a long time, then eventually traded him for a another snake. At the time, I was a one-snake man. Like many hobbyists, I went down the path of sometimes trading snakes when something new, exotic or otherwise appealing was discovered.

Years passed, and I honed in on the traits most suitable & enjoyed by me: good feeder, curious & relatively active, tractable. North American species are preferred - since they are geographically more practical and less expensive. (I learned this after my Boa & Python phase.)

I interact with mine often, and exercise them outside in safe areas when I can. I also prefer naturalistic setups, with rocks and branches to maximize usable space and to encourage exercise & curiosity.

I settled in on my current "boys":

Gray Ratsnake "Oak"
Pantherophis spiloides

California Kingsnake San Diego Striped - High Spotted "Jack"
Lampropeltis getula californiae

Mexican Black Kingsnake "Fernando"
Lampropeltis getula nigrita

I hope to be posting photos soon!

Reply by Ameron — 2019-01-16 01:11:45 GMT

I understand that many (not all) persons migrated to Facebook. I also read the recent article about Facebook in Rolling Stone magazine revealing powerful evidence of criminal conduct by Facebook officials, advising everyone (not most) to exit Facebook and stop using & supporting it.

Back on topic...

This forum is still *quite* valid for simple, quick posts and photo attachments or URL links. We vote with our feet, wallets and usage; if we want this site to survive we will support it. I really enjoy and value free sites like Kingsnake.com and Craigslist.com (from which I got my last 3-4 jobs).

I'm relearning some things about my new Mexican Black Kingsnake and I'm also studying the Sonoran Desert & Thorn scrub regions for the first time. The new adventure is quite fun & educational.

You may see more of my post soon, sharing my opinions, thoughts, photos or more. Thanks for sharing your valid concerns.

Reply by avalanche — 2018-08-14 16:07:25 GMT

Yeah - the forums are dead, they are archaic and people gave given up on them for other more modern websites and social media.

Reply by Dabster — 2018-07-23 22:39:27 GMT

I don't know much about them -except they're pretty- but I paid for a hatchling last week. After falling in love with my daughter's corn snake I decided to jump into the wonderful world of snakes again/more. My last snake was a worm snake that died about 40 years ago.

I will post pictures and updates as I have them.

Reply by rosspadilla — 2018-07-13 02:49:59 GMT

Everyone went to facebook.
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http://southerncaliforniakingsnakes.weebly.com/

Reply by thundurchasur — 2018-07-10 19:03:52 GMT

I see very few posts on snakes and lots of spam.