Getting a Gray-Banded Kingsnake...

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,

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.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...s/IMG_3618.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...s/IMG_3632.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...s/IMG_3626.jpg

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Originally Posted by 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.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...s/IMG_3618.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...s/IMG_3632.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...s/IMG_3626.jpg

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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 :weirdface ... how can babies survive for that long?

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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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!

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?

GB kings are awesome and easy to look after and are great to handle
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...1/IMG_0092.jpg
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...1/IMG_0043.jpg

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.

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.

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. :)

A few more questions on temps... I know the warm spot should be low 80's to low 90's... basking spot maybe slightly higher; cool side should be 70-75.

Is it okay to have an 80 degree cool side? The RHP heats the cage quite a bit, but maybe it will be a lot cooler under the rocks.
Should I do any kind of night drop? I know they can go to 60's no problem in winter, and maybe it would seem more natural to them? Maybe giving them cooler temperatures at night will benefit them in some ways...

Also humidity isn't a real biggie right? With them being a desert species...

Thanks!

which locality holds its color the best? and has the biggest bands?

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

A few more questions on temps... I know the warm spot should be low 80's to low 90's... basking spot maybe slightly higher; cool side should be 70-75.

Is it okay to have an 80 degree cool side? The RHP heats the cage quite a bit, but maybe it will be a lot cooler under the rocks.
Should I do any kind of night drop? I know they can go to 60's no problem in winter, and maybe it would seem more natural to them? Maybe giving them cooler temperatures at night will benefit them in some ways...

Also humidity isn't a real biggie right? With them being a desert species...

Thanks!

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I would go a little cooler than 80. What I have noticed with mine, even in my room where it is 68 at night, they are always on the cool end except after being fed. Day temps on the cool end get to around 73-75 and the warm spot around 85. If you can, post a pic of your setup.

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Originally Posted by Lucas339

which locality holds its color the best? and has the biggest bands?

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All of the locales have unique variations. I couldn't say one looks better than another.

FWIW I love my Black Gap locality female

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...i/P8040007.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...i/P5070010.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...i/P5070012.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brandon Osborne

I would go a little cooler than 80. What I have noticed with mine, even in my room where it is 68 at night, they are always on the cool end except after being fed. Day temps on the cool end get to around 73-75 and the warm spot around 85. If you can, post a pic of your setup.

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That's interesting, because I know I'll be able to get 75 if the hot spot is only 85... thanks again.

Of course I'm quarantining it first, so he's just in a glass tank with a heat pad on one side (tstat controlled).

The good cage I have for him is a 36x24x15 AP cage divided, so his side is only 24x18. I take it this is enough right?

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

That's interesting, because I know I'll be able to get 75 if the hot spot is only 85... thanks again.

Of course I'm quarantining it first, so he's just in a glass tank with a heat pad on one side (tstat controlled).

The good cage I have for him is a 36x24x15 AP cage divided, so his side is only 24x18. I take it this is enough right?

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Quarantine is a good practice. It's nice to see someone actually doing it. A 24x18 cage is plenty big even for the largest adults. Post pics when you get him/her.

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Originally Posted by Brandon Osborne

Quarantine is a good practice. It's nice to see someone actually doing it. A 24x18 cage is plenty big even for the largest adults. Post pics when you get him/her.

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To be honest when I got my second and third snake I didn't quarantine because I hadn't heard about it anywhere :oops:

BUT.... those days are over. I can't wait to put him in his real cage though, it'll look so sweet!

You've helped me a lot, thanks again!

Uh oh... I think I have a problem...

So I have that cage divided, but the Ball Python side is really heats up the other cage... right now with the RHP in the side that the Grayband should be in at 85, the cool side is 83 :(

I don't think I can keep a grayband in that cage!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Uh oh... I think I have a problem...

So I have that cage divided, but the Ball Python side is really heats up the other cage... right now with the RHP in the side that the Grayband should be in at 85, the cool side is 83 :(

I don't think I can keep a grayband in that cage!!

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Are you heating the ball side with a RHP, and that is heating the cage, or is it belly heat? You can always unplug the RHP if that is the case. It doesn't have to be exactly 85 on the hot spot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brandon Osborne

Are you heating the ball side with a RHP, and that is heating the cage, or is it belly heat? You can always unplug the RHP if that is the case. It doesn't have to be exactly 85 on the hot spot.

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Both sides of the cage are heated by separate RHPs... I can't unplug the one of the Ball cage because it'll get too cold... but this causes the grayband side to have a low of 83...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Both sides of the cage are heated by separate RHPs... I can't unplug the one of the Ball cage because it'll get too cold... but this causes the grayband side to have a low of 83...

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See what happens when you just unplug the grayband side. Or just use a thermostat or rheostat. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brandon Osborne

See what happens when you just unplug the grayband side. Or just use a thermostat or rheostat. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy.

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If I don't have the grayband side on, the cage is still at a min of 83. The Ball Python RHP is already controlled by a Herpstat Pro, and the other one would be too.

I think, since I don't see another solution, I'll get a Ball Python at the show this weekend and a grayband later in my life...:(