need help please!

I found a snake that looks ALOT like the one in the link, except it's about the size of a hatchling. He/she is in a 5 gallon tank [we also have a 15 gal tank for when he/she is bigger].The temperature is about 85 to 90 degrees, and the humidity is about 40% out of 100%. He/she hasn't eaten anything since I got him 2 weeks ago, even though we've offered him/her pinky mice, and earthworms. I'm a little scared for him, and I'm worried he won't make it. Please help me, any advice is welcome.

Please click the link below to see what he/she looks like. [he/she is about 9 inches long]



http://www.cydoniamall.com/pets/1036...%20Desert.html

Thank you in advance for all your help.

85-90*F is too hot for a king snake.

By "found it" do you mean you found it for sale, or you found it outside?

I found the snake outside on a cold fall day. What is the correct temperature for him/her? I heard it was mid-80's to the 90's. [or else it wouldn't be that temp, go figure!]

Thanks.

You should have left him outside. If it's been getting cold he's probably been getting ready to brumate for the winter, which means he'll stop eating.

I run my kings and milks at 75-85*F.

Thank you for the temp advise. I reset the temperature in his tank and he seems happier. Do you have any idea on what I could possibly convince him to eat? Please don't tell me to release him, or that I'm "dumb" for taking him out of the wild, because if I let him go he will most likely die from cold weather. I did not start this thread because I wanted to talk about why I should release him, or because I wanted to be assaulted by people telling me to let him go.

Thank you, and best regards.

T

I don't understand why you took him inside to begin with?

It is going to be in or going into brumation like bcr229 said and now it thinks it summer again. Prob wont eat and could very well die. All my kings are cooled down and off feed untill spring when i warm them back up. Best advice release it and save up 50 to 100 and buy a captive breed.

Thank you everybody for your advice, Also thank you frostyBP for not criticizing me.

PS. frostyBP I'm going to try and bump up your reputation. :dance::dance::dance::dance::dance:


T

The problem with wild caught snake is that not all of them will eat for you.

I took in wild caught snakes in the past and had mix success when it comes to feeding, of course granted those animals were injured and this probably played a huge part.

As mentioned high 80 low 90 is overkilled to me.

What I would do is get a very small tub about 6 quarts, and have some aspen in it, sometimes kings just like BP can easily be stressed and offering a tighter enclosure can help.

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if I let him go he will most likely die from cold weather.

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No it won't that is YOUR human emotions doing the talking, Kings among other snakes brumate and do fine in their natural environment during the winter and do not require any help to survive the harsh winter conditions (which we know in the south are not that harsh).

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Originally Posted by frostysBP

It is going to be in or going into brumation like bcr229 said and now it thinks it summer again. Prob wont eat and could very well die. All my kings are cooled down and off feed untill spring when i warm them back up. Best advice release it and save up 50 to 100 and buy a captive breed.

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You know frosty, it's a darn good thing that once it gets cold outside it NEVER EVER warms up again for a day or three. Why, I imagine if that were to occur we would see wholesale die-offs of multiple speices of snakes that simply had NEVER EVER had it get cool and then warm up again in the MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of years they've been on the planet. Thank goodness for knowledgeable guys like you to school these worthless newbs who think only of helping out natures babies, hoping only to be the boost the little critters need to make it through that first TERRIBLY TERRIBLY cold winter of their lives. It's so very very kind of you to share you hard earned and written in stone knowledge and rules for keeping this snake that is found in the desert, mountains, coast and plains. Thank goodness all weather conditions are IDENTICAL all the time in these various places.

I mean think about it, if there were ANY variation at all in any of the things I've mentioned above, and what I mentioned above happened to be true, just think what a fool that would make someone look.... like...oops, well, there ya go. A little floss will get the toejam out from between your teeth in no time at all.

Thank you Deborah, your post was very kind compared to some other post..........
And Deborah I was wondering if you had any experience with BHBReptiles?
I am thinking about getting my next snake from there. :snake2::sabduel:

PS. What do you think is the most docile species of Kingsnake? :snake:

Cheers!

T

Dear Wilomn,

I would like to inform you that I have 2 years [almost 3 years] of research and experience with reptiles, meaning I'm no "newb" as you where hinting.

Cheers!

T

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Originally Posted by theodore

Dear Wilomn,

I would like to inform you that I have 2 years [almost 3 years] of research and experience with reptiles, meaning I'm no "newb" as you where hinting.

Cheers!

T

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Oh my my my, almost 3 whole years you say? A veritable expert you are. How many have you kept in this time? 3 or 4? I bow to your superior knowledge. Heck, just because I've been keeping them for decades, have produced thousands, live in their native habitat and do this for a living is NO reason to even suspect that you don't know more than I ever possibly could. You must know it all, you've posted on the internet.

I'm sorry, but I just happened to notice how incredibly rude you are being wilomn. The sarcasm is so NOT necessary, and it is so uncalled for. What is your problem? I see nothing wrong with what theodore said. Seriously.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Oh my my my, almost 3 whole years you say? A veritable expert you are. How many have you kept in this time? 3 or 4? I bow to your superior knowledge. Heck, just because I've been keeping them for decades, have produced thousands, live in their native habitat and do this for a living is NO reason to even suspect that you don't know more than I ever possibly could. You must know it all, you've posted on the internet.

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You need to stop. Just because you have more experience doesn't mean the OP doesn't know their stuff. Stop being so rude or you will get reported. I hope @WebSlave cuts in before things get out if hand. Please leave this thread.

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Originally Posted by Sammiebob

You need to stop. Just because you have more experience doesn't mean the OP doesn't know their stuff. Stop being so rude or you will get reported. I hope @WebSlave cuts in before things get out if hand. Please leave this thread.

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Was it not completely uncalled for, too? He just attacked the other guy for no reason. I cannot believe how childish some people can be, it saddens me.

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Originally Posted by Fraido

Was it not completely uncalled for, too? He just attacked the other guy for no reason. I cannot believe how childish some people can be, it saddens me.

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It was 100% uncalled for. I use sarcasm like second language, but not to be rude. That is absolutely no way to treat someone. It doesn't matter your place, or who you are, or who they are. You just simply don't do that.

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Originally Posted by Sammiebob

It was 100% uncalled for. I use sarcasm like second language, but not to be rude. That is absolutely no way to treat someone. It doesn't matter your place, or who you are, or who they are. You just simply don't do that.

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It actually makes me so angry the way he came out of nowhere JUST to be rude to someone for absolutely NO reason. This is why I don't like people, animals all the way!

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Originally Posted by Fraido

It actually makes me so angry the way he came out of nowhere JUST to be rude to someone for absolutely NO reason. This is why I don't like people, animals all the way!

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Yes! Snakes, while they can be rude, are not anywhere close to THAT rude!

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Originally Posted by Sammiebob

Yes! Snakes, while they can be rude, are not anywhere close to THAT rude!

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I'd take a snobby snake over a snobby person any day!

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Originally Posted by theodore

I found a snake that looks ALOT like the one in the link, except it's about the size of a hatchling. He/she is in a 5 gallon tank [we also have a 15 gal tank for when he/she is bigger].The temperature is about 85 to 90 degrees, and the humidity is about 40% out of 100%. He/she hasn't eaten anything since I got him 2 weeks ago, even though we've offered him/her pinky mice, and earthworms. I'm a little scared for him, and I'm worried he won't make it. Please help me, any advice is welcome.

Please click the link below to see what he/she looks like. [he/she is about 9 inches long]



http://www.cydoniamall.com/pets/1036...%20Desert.html

Thank you in advance for all your help.

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If the picture looks a lot like this, but you are in 'The Deep South...' as your location says, it's possible that it could be a juvenile racer, not a kingsnake. Racers have different care requirements. I personally have nothing against keeping wild captives and I think it adds to the whole educational experience but proper identification is imperitive if you want to research how to properly care for the animal.

Thank you everybody for helping me with wilomn!!!!! I would rather own an aggressive snake then have to talk to him again! Oh and by the way thank you MarkS for helping me with the snakes identification!!!

Cheers!

T :snake2:

I don't have anything against keeping WC snakes but I'd much rather purchase a CB animal especially for something as common as a kingsnake. I was a bit surprised that some people think 86-90 is a bit high for kings. Isn't that what most care sheets recommend? My Cal King is two and my MBK is about 18 months. I've always kept their warm side at 86-90 and their cool sides in the low-mid 70's. As far as BHB reptiles goes, I've never purchased from them but I know several keepers who have and they all have good things to say.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I don't have anything against keeping WC snakes but I'd much rather purchase a CB animal especially for something as common as a kingsnake. I was a bit surprised that some people think 86-90 is a bit high for kings. Isn't that what most care sheets recommend? My Cal King is two and my MBK is about 18 months. I've always kept their warm side at 86-90 and their cool sides in the low-mid 70's. As far as BHB reptiles goes, I've never purchased from them but I know several keepers who have and they all have good things to say.

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Based on my experience with colubrids, yes you can keep them at those temps but with females that you breed lower is better. ;)

Their are more than one way to do thing, I have kept various species at various temps from the high ranges to the low ranges and turned out they seem to do much better at lower temps.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Based on my experience with colubrids, yes you can keep them at those temps but with females that you breed lower is better. ;)

Their are more than one way to do thing, I have kept various species at various temps from the high ranges to the low ranges and turned out they seem to do much better at lower temps.

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Hey Deb, we're practically neighbors. I'm in Marietta, GA. I'm always open to a better way of doing things :). What temps do you like to keep your kings at? When you say they did better at lower temps, how so? And is that strictly for females that are being bred? Thanks for the tips.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Hey Deb, we're practically neighbors. I'm in Marietta, GA. I'm always open to a better way of doing things :). What temps do you like to keep your kings at? When you say they did better at lower temps, how so? And is that strictly for females that are being bred? Thanks for the tips.

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Well I am in Braselton ;), maybe we will see each other if you go to the show this weekend ;)

I used to keep my kings at 74 ambient and 84 hot spot., I no longer keep kings but I still keep a few colubrids.

High heat with female often leads to a higher number of slugs same goes for other species as well.

I sometimes have impulse control issues so I only go to expos when I'm in the market to buy and unfortunately I can't get any new critters until spring. A promise is a promise :). I hope you enjoy the event.