Frequency of Feeding

[SavannahSnake]

Hi all,

My understanding was to always feed every seven days. This works great with my ball, who has been known not to eat as many do. However my King is freaking out four days later. I think I may have not fed her enough.

What are your guidelines on quantity and timing?

Thanks for the help.


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[HVani]

How old is your king?

For babies I feed every 5 days. Once they are on fuzzies or hoppers I switch to every 7 days. Kings are always hungry and way more active than a ball python.

[SavannahSnake]

She is probably 8 months. A rescue. They said she was about 6 months when I got her . She has been eating three fuzzies a week. I saw somewhere that someone said he waited til he saw poop and then fed them a day or two later since they had digested the last meal. I handle her every day except the 48 hrs after she has eaten so she knows not every day is food time.

There is this drastic change in behavior four days or five days after she has eaten and a day or two after popping. I wonder if the guy was on to something.


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[HVani]

I'd bump her up to hoppers. If she can take 3 fuzzies, she can take a hopper. That may help. Again king snakes are garbage disposals. Once on that prey size I would stay at 7 days. That's me though. I've had no issues with it.

My milksnake is the exact same way. About 3-4 days after eating he is out and about and ready for more. I still feed him once a week and he's growing rapidly.

[SavannahSnake]

I did have her eat one hopper a few weeks ago and the same thing happened. She bit me last night. She is never usually aggressive.


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[HVani]

I would double check temperatures. And make sure everything is where it should be.

Depending on the king snake, they have an attitude. And expect to be bitten if you have handled another snake without washing your hands.

If you feed them every time the act hungry you will end up with an obese snake. In the wild they eat as much as they can in one sitting because they don't know when the next meal is coming. As pets they have a constant stream of food so no need for them to eat so much so frequently.

You will not under feed this snake by feeding a hopper once a week.