New Mexican Black Kingsnake

[the_rotten1]

Basically everything El-Ziggy said. MBKs are great eaters and mine has never skipped a meal. They don't seem to get nearly as nervous as ball pythons do, but you've gotta remember that hatchling kings are really small. Even the smallest mini hide RB sells is a going to be bigger than them.

Personally, I started mine in a 6qt tub with aspen substrate, 2 hides, and a water bowl. I moved up to a 15qt when it hit 100g and then up to a 28qt tub now that it's nearly 200g. Currently, King's favorite hide is a hollowed out piece of wood that's just a bit larger than a cardboard toilet paper roll. He barely fits in it and he loves it. I have a few bigger hides in there, but that's where I see him the most.

As long as she can't get out you should be okay, but I would definitely put her in something smaller.

Anyway, congrats! They're gorgeous snakes.

[Charles8088]

Personally, I started mine in a 6qt tub with aspen substrate, 2 hides, and a water bowl. I moved up to a 15qt when it hit 100g and then up to a 28qt tub now that it's nearly 200g. Currently, King's favorite hide is a hollowed out piece of wood that's just a bit larger than a cardboard toilet paper roll. He barely fits in it and he loves it. I have a few bigger hides in there, but that's where I see him the most.

As long as she can't get out you should be okay, but I would definitely put her in something smaller.

I have the heat source set all up for the larger enclosure, but how would you do the heat for a 6qt tub?

[Charles8088]

The little girl hasn't arrived yet, so haven't seen her size... though, I can't imagine that it'll be small enough to squeeze through ventilation holes that are about 3mm sized.

[bcr229]

I have the heat source set all up for the larger enclosure, but how would you do the heat for a 6qt tub?

For a UTH just put the tub partway over it. For an RHP you'll have to play with the tub's position in the enclosure so one side is heated and the other isn't.

Also remember 80-90 is a bit high for a king.

[Charles8088]

For a UTH just put the tub partway over it. For an RHP you'll have to play with the tub's position in the enclosure so one side is heated and the other isn't.

Also remember 80-90 is a bit high for a king.

I thought mbk's needed a high of about 90. That's what I seem to be reading everywhere. What's the appropriate overall low/high temps, and gradients, I should shoot for?

[Charles8088]

Ok... so, while I think I can probably throw enough items inside the 24x24x12 enclosure to get her feeling secure, her small size will almost certainly make it hard to find her in there (as mentioned above). So, I went out and picked up a small 6qt plastic tub. And, I'll probably just throw it inside the enclosure... just debating on whether to use the RHP inside the enclosure, or an UTH that I own from a different animal.

But... regarding hides inside the 6qt... being that she's small, can I just get a bunch of crumbled pages of paper and throw it in there, or should I really put 2 small hides in there?

[Prognathodon]

For my baby water python I started out with loosely-crumpled paper towels and a hide, and the snake ignored both and hid under the paper towel substrate.

If your hides are ridiculously oversized for her, I'd just go with the paper.


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[Craiga 01453]

She looks great!! Congrats!!
I have had good luck using the cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towels for my colubrids until they outgrow them. And yeah, I've used crumpled paper towels in juvenile enclosures to add clutter/hides. Just replace with clean ones as needed.