Kingsnake not eating.

For 3 weeks now he's refused pinkies. It's odd because when I got him and for a month and a half he was a trash compacter. Eating voraciously and with powerful strikes.


Now he tongues offerings and pulls away. Doesn't even take them overnight like the milksnake.


What am I doing wrong here? IS he okay and just deciding to fast? I do prescent and warm to about 110. They are f/t.

His cage is 36 inches but he has 5 hides and lots of clean aspen to burrow in, Plus the Plastic cages only glass front is mostly concealed with a trash bag taped over it. Temps 73-82.

When did he shed last?

first week of june nice one piece. Didn't eat after that I don't think. I need to keep a dated book.

So long as he's got good body weight a few weeks, even 5 or 6, won't do any harm. It may be the long days, the temps, who knows. Keep trying him weekly. The pinks don't have to be that hot. Smell is more important. In fact, if you've been heating them for too long they may be cooked which may put him off.

Can you get live? That or just let one warm to room temperature. I never heat them for any of my kings.

I can try live He seems healthy. I will try a room temperature pinkie. And see if that helps. He he doesn't take that this weekend I will buckle and feed live. My convenience isn't as important as his health.

Sunday it still didn't eat the room temperature pinkie either


It always comes out, tongues it, and backs off. I'm not sure whats going on but it hasn't eaten in awhile.


Any ideas?


I will look for live pinkies but not alot of places around here sell live. those that do don't do pinkies alot. So I'll look.

Maybe it's the fact that he's in the bottom cage and the cats look in on him from time to time.

73-82, try making it a bit toastier, at that temp its more sluggish and digestion is slowed..:snake:

How are you determining temps in the tank?

Wes - does size matter for younger kingsnakes? I know that I start all of my kings and milks (woo - a grand total of 8) in six quart tubs and haven't experienced any true fasts.

Could that also be a symptom of his problems, the size of the current enclosure?

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Wes - does size matter for younger kingsnakes? I know that I start all of my kings and milks (woo - a grand total of 8) in six quart tubs and haven't experienced any true fasts.

Could that also be a symptom of his problems, the size of the current enclosure?

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Not in my experience. I've kept them in deli cups and cages up to about 20 gal. and 95% eat no problem. There's always a few that a problems and some that just go off feed for a while. My little spotted guy went about 4 months over the winter without eating even though he was kept on heat, or had it available, the whole time.

They're robust little guys. He may be entering a shed cycle if he's been eating a lot or he may just have the urge to wander.

Pics would help.