The point is, cover the top all the way. You shouldn't have to mist your cage at all. Kingsnakes normally do not drink water in nature, in most cases, its just not available to them. Their whole design is to conserve moisture. If your hunting kings and its dry under rocks or boards, they simply won't be there. They will be where its humid. Humid does not mean wet. They like it dry and humid.

As mentioned, when you heat the cage, it also heats the air and the air quickly rises out of the cage and takes humidity with it. Which is why you have to mist. Cover the top and it traps the humid air in the cage. If your worried about the snake breathing. Just remember, they live IN THE GROUND, with no open air. They occasionally crawl on the surface when its warm and humid, to go to other holes in the ground. The smallest of cracks, like where the door slides in, is plenty enough for the snakes to breath well. Remember, they normally live underground.

I bring this up because chronic dehydration causes lots of problems for the snake. From immediate, to prolonged.

I am not a fan of constant rehydration, like mentioned in other replies. Reptiles are not designed to pass water. Even their urine is semi solid. They are designed to extract all water from their prey, and conserve it by all means. Both physically and behaviorally.

And yes, I have some experience with kings, I have kept and bred them since 1964. And I was the first to produce albino kings, way back in the early seventies. So yes, I have a passion for Cal kings. Best wishes

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