Getting a Gray-Banded Kingsnake...

[DutchHerp]

I'm getting a grayband next week and I'm just wondering if there's anything I should know about them that is not on the caresheets... Any special strategies that I should be aware of?

Thanks,

[Brandon Osborne]

It depends on the size and age of the snake, and if it is feeding on unscented rodents. Graybands are notorious for being difficult feeders as babies. I have two that hatched in july that have not fed yet. They have just now started losing weight, but have been cooling for the last 10 weeks to try and jumpstart them. Wish me luck. Although they are a desert climate snake, they actually seem to prefer the cool end of the cage in my collection. Just give them lots of hides and stacks. They love tight spaces. Other than they, they are awesome snakes.

[DutchHerp]

It depends on the size and age of the snake, and if it is feeding on unscented rodents. Graybands are notorious for being difficult feeders as babies. I have two that hatched in july that have not fed yet. They have just now started losing weight, but have been cooling for the last 10 weeks to try and jumpstart them. Wish me luck. Although they are a desert climate snake, they actually seem to prefer the cool end of the cage in my collection. Just give them lots of hides and stacks. They love tight spaces. Other than they, they are awesome snakes.

I plan on keeping it in an AP cage with crushed walnut shell as substrate (looks like sand) and I collected some nice, flat rocks in west Texas to create natural looking hides.

Good look with feeding those snakes! So they haven't eaten for 7 months ... how can babies survive for that long?

[Brandon Osborne]

I never would have thought the babies would live this long with no food, but they look nearly as good as the day they hatched.

If I may, I would recommend not using crushed walnut shell as bedding. It is known for causing severe impaction in too many instances. If you are wanting something with a burrowing substrate, I would suggest shredded aspen instead. I've heard too many horror stories about walnut.....not to mention it is a toxic wood.

Good luck and post pics when you get him/her.

[DutchHerp]

I never would have thought the babies would live this long with no food, but they look nearly as good as the day they hatched.

If I may, I would recommend not using crushed walnut shell as bedding. It is known for causing severe impaction in too many instances. If you are wanting something with a burrowing substrate, I would suggest shredded aspen instead. I've heard too many horror stories about walnut.....not to mention it is a toxic wood.

Good luck and post pics when you get him/her.

Hmm if I use a different feeding box, would that be alright?

If walnut is a toxic wood I'll stay away from it, but are the shells toxic too? Why would people make this specifically for herps?

Thanks for the heads up!

[DutchHerp]

The substrate is called Zilla Desert Blend, btw.

EDIT: Quoted: "ESU (Zilla) Desert Blend Lizard Litter is a sand substitute developed for desert-dwelling reptiles. Made from ground English walnut shells, it is harmless if ingested and will easily pass through the reptile's digestive system. It is nontoxic, less abrasive and dust free."

Brandon, I trust you in your judgment but are you sure that it's unsafe to use?

[Crusader71]

GB kings are awesome and easy to look after and are great to handle

[Brandon Osborne]

I've never seen this particular product. All I know is from past walnut products. You can always try it and see. If it is finely ground I'm sure it would be less likely, and I would definitely feed in another container.....something I normally never do. And yes, walnut is a toxic wood. The nuts themselves might not be, but I don't know about the shells. I can't imagine they would taste good. lol.

[Dragnbaron]

It can cause impactation, but i have only seen instances of this happening when the snake is fed on the substrate. It doesn't just pass throught because it is VERY abrasive of a product and has very sharp edges.
I use it, i'll be honest. And i feed my bearded dragons on it, but they are the only ones i feed on the substrate. Anything else (hognoses, ball pythins, kindsnakes, whatever) is fed in a seperate container and have had no issues yet.

[DutchHerp]

Since I don't have a lot of snakes I can easily feed him in another container!

Thanks for the info guys, I really appreciate it.