Kings and food: how much is enough? :)

Greetings!
I have a year old MBK, about 100g, eating 2 peach fuzzy mice every 5 days (soon to start so-called normal fuzzies).

I wonder...
In nature, they would come upon a nest of mice usually containing 5-8 fuzzies... Would they eat all of them? All 8?
When enough is enough? (maybe strictly rhetorical question with kings though...) :D

PS: the sucker was trying to ingest my pointer finger for 30 min...

At 100 grams I would say you could feed larger prey, fuzzies or even hoppers if they're on the smaller side. With juvenile Kings I always shoot for prey that leaves a slightly noticeable lump in the snakes stomach.

Kings have voracious appetites and would eat more, I'm sure. In the case you mentioned in the wild, they would likely gobble up all they can, because they are opportunistic feeders not knowing when their next meal will come. In captivity, we have the luxury to feed them weekly, so we can regulate their intake and feed on a healthier schedule.

I aim for one appropriately sized meal (right about the size of her girth) per week for my adult. Every now and then I give her two as a treat, but not often. She's plenty fat enough lol.

So I have Oreo, California King. She is the diameter of a dime. She is 2 and half feet long. Was hoping she would bulk up a little but for now all her growth seams to go into length over mass. She can not eat a huge meal but does eat 3 hopper mice a week. Would she eat more? Absolutely but she is trained to 3. She can count. I offer 1. She eats. Then the second right as she pops her head out. Then the third when she pops her head out a third time. Then she knows more is not coming so she stays inside her hide. The only time I see her out of her hide is when hunting or receiving food. I am sure she drinks daily and does come out when I am sleeping but is rare to see her out. She has such a food drive that she struck a stream of water pouring into her water dish. Yes they will eat and eat.

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Originally Posted by Skyrivers

So I have Oreo, California King. She is the diameter of a dime. She is 2 and half feet long. Was hoping she would bulk up a little but for now all her growth seams to go into length over mass. She can not eat a huge meal but does eat 3 hopper mice a week. Would she eat more? Absolutely but she is trained to 3. She can count. I offer 1. She eats. Then the second right as she pops her head out. Then the third when she pops her head out a third time. Then she knows more is not coming so she stays inside her hide. The only time I see her out of her hide is when hunting or receiving food. I am sure she drinks daily and does come out when I am sleeping but is rare to see her out. She has such a food drive that she struck a stream of water pouring into her water dish. Yes they will eat and eat.

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I got a mature BP that the previous owner was feeding 3 mice a week and would do the same thing. I recently switched her over to a single rat and now after she downs it she goes on the prowl thinking more is on the way.

I feed my kings one prey item that is about the same diameter or a bit more as their body once a week. Most kings will eat until they puke, so one good sized meal a week is a good idea.

My mbk when i had her was 50 grams and eating a hopper/lrg hopper every 5 to 10 days.

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Originally Posted by Alter-Echo

I feed my kings one prey item that is about the same diameter or a bit more as their body once a week. Most kings will eat until they puke, so one good sized meal a week is a good idea.

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This. I've noticed that my older adults (> 4 years) slow down a bit over the winter. I don't bromate them but they still are aware of the seasonal changes. They more than make up for their mini-fasts in the spring though.

Bear in mind that most colubrids in captivity are overfed, which can lead to an early death due to obesity issues like fatty liver disease. Kings, corn/rat snakes, milk snakes, etc. should retain a more square than round body shape.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

This. I've noticed that my older adults (> 4 years) slow down a bit over the winter. I don't bromate them but they still are aware of the seasonal changes. They more than make up for their mini-fasts in the spring though.

Bear in mind that most colubrids in captivity are overfed, which can lead to an early death due to obesity issues like fatty liver disease. Kings, corn/rat snakes, milk snakes, etc. should retain a more square than round body shape.

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Mine have never fasted, per say, but they do seem a bit less food aggressive in the winter.

And you are right about these guys being prone to obesity, my first king had to be put on a diet because the previous owner was feeding her small rats once a week. Lol

Eeden is on two hoppers now and at last weigh in was 150g. He is easily over that now if not close to 200g. He will keep eating if I let him. These little guys are so funny when they eat. I give him one, he chugs that sucker down, pops his head up, looks at me like "where is the next one" and I give him the second one and he goes into one of his hides and goes to sleep. He also tried to eat my finger once. He missed the mouse got my finger perfectly and started to try to swallow it. I had to pry his little face off because waiting him out wasn't working lol.

In his book, "Common Kingsnakes, A Natural History," Brian Hubbs recommends "feeding at least every week, if not more often. Twice-weekly feedings will ensure the animal stays healthy and grows. Two food (prey) items are sufficient for each feeding..."

My female is a voracious eater from March to late October - at which time she refuses food, and is placed in brumation till the following February. She'll be 5 years old next June, is 5 feet long, and weighs 1453 grams. She is still smaller than the largest King of her species found in the wild. And I'll posit that "typical modest sizes of specimens found in the wild" is due to abbreviated longevity (it's tough out there), and the associated challenge of regular predation.

My feeling is that many keepers may feed more conservatively because they keep a large number snakes, and for them, it's simply a matter of economics. I'll also add that my King gets considerable exercise by way of supervised yard time - which also helps me keep cage-cleaning to a minimum.