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  1. #11
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    Re: California Kingsnake Feeding help

    So I was going to put her in the 20 gallon but I just realized that its a tank made for fish so instead of being wide its tall, the water bowl does not even fit. Is there a way to divide the tank so that its smaller? or should I just not worry about the tank size. I will be moving the tank into a quiet room so people wont scare her.

  2. #12
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    I would NOT change tanks, but move the tank she's in to a quieter location. A new tank will only ADD stress...not what she needs right now. As long as she has warm &
    cool side hides, & safe stuff to hide under (or in), she's fine where she is. Snakes grow up in the great outdoors just fine, don't forget that. BPs are ambush predators,
    meaning they tend to stay put (even in the wild), but king snakes are active hunters...the space won't hurt at all, a large tank is nothing compared to the real world.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  4. #13
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    Re: California Kingsnake Feeding help

    Ok I wont change it, ill just move the tank shes in into a quiet place.
    If she does not eat next time I try, should I try scenting with an anole? And if so how would I do that
    Also would a heat lamp stress her out also, she had a heat lamp and a heat mat with a thermostat, the heat lamp bulb just broke today so atm she does not have the lamp

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    Youre definitely in good hands with Bogertophis.

    I know my Kings pretty well, but she's extremely knowledgeable with colubrids. I humbly defer to Bogertophis with all things colubrid.

    Good luck, please keep us posted!

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  7. #15
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    Re: California Kingsnake Feeding help

    Quote Originally Posted by Cypris1 View Post
    Ok I wont change it, ill just move the tank shes in into a quiet place.
    If she does not eat next time I try, should I try scenting with an anole? And if so how would I do that
    Also would a heat lamp stress her out also, she had a heat lamp and a heat mat with a thermostat, the heat lamp bulb just broke today so atm she does not have the lamp
    No anoles...she ate pinkies before...try the "bag overnight" technique & don't get ahead of yourself. She may or may not like anoles, but if she prefers them, you'd have to keep supplying them. AND, anoles are closer relatives to snakes than mice are, so there's more harmful pathogens & parasites they can GIVE to your snake...& then you'd end up with a health issue needing treatment. Never a good idea...best avoided.

    What are you using for a substrate, by the way? Anything she can actually burrow into? I recommend either clean paper shreds (I shred my un-needed bills & business papers) or Carefresh 'Natural' (they can tunnel into it & it will partly retain the holes they make...they feel VERY secure in it). I use a mixture of paper shreds + Carefresh for many of my snakes (mostly colubrids).

    She does NOT need a lamp...few snakes like being under a spotlight (with exceptions like coachwhips & other diurnal racers that enjoy sunshine) & this might be your problem! If your house is cold in winter & you need the extra warmth, use a red or black incandescent bulb OR a CHE (no light) on a dimmer to add the warmth, but right now, she only likely needs the UTH.

    What kind of hides are in there? Does she use them? If they're too big & open, they don't offer a sense of security & won't help the snake much. You can fix this easily by crumpling a paper towel & stuffing it in there so it's cozy & just big enough for the snake to feel safe. Small snakes want small hides...you can also use small clean cardboard boxes with a doorway cut into it for now...when it's dirty, toss & replace it. They also enjoy the cardboard tubes from a roll of paper towels...flatten it first for such a tiny snake, & partly bury it in the substrate for a tunnel. Don't worry about how much you can watch the snake for now...it's more important that the snake is comfortable, & when she is, she'll get braver & you'll see a lot more of her. Cal kings usually love to eat & they're always looking for more food...like a teenager in a snake's body, lol.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 08-27-2020 at 03:01 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    Re: California Kingsnake Feeding help

    no anoles, ok. I will try the bag thing, and when I was thinking of anoles I knew about the parasites but was not sure if they could be transfered but now I know, which is good.

    I am using aspen shaving as bedding, ive heard its good, I can see alot of tunnels that she has dug for herself inside lol rly cute when you just see their head poking out of the ground.

    And for the light, im hoping that is what the problem was so she eats lol, I had read places that said it was ok and other who said it wasn't to its good to know that now.

    The hides might also be a problem, theres a dug out one under the water so that ones nice and small and the one next to it is small but the 2 on the left are pretty big, one of them is huge so I gotta definitely stuff that one but really I should just do the small cardboard box cause that ones to big and the other one is also large so I have to stuff that one also, when I get more ill put the cardboard tube inside. I do see her go into all of the hides, even the big one just less often than the others.

  9. #17
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    From the information you've just added, I suspect that the quieter location along with a better sense of security (smaller hides & no light) might be all she needs to relax-
    I hope so. It's always hard to advise without seeing someone's set-up but I think we've tracked down your issues. And remember not to handle any snake until they're
    eating on a regular basis...preferably at least 3 times (at normal intervals for the age/size). I'm not personally a fan of aspen but it's ok...she can burrow into it & yes, it's
    very cute when they peek out. Try to imagine being that tiny & seeing unknown giants hanging around outside your tiny home...would YOU feel safe enough to stop
    to eat? or would you just focus on hiding?
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 08-27-2020 at 05:06 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  11. #18
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    Just another suggestion to keep in mind...not saying you need to buy one, but there's a reason that king & milk snakes love these, & yes, I used to use these for mine.

    https://beanfarm.com/collections/bedding-and-cage/products/herpatat-hide-out-small

    It's not a very good picture with only one view, but basically it's a square flattened box shape, with an entrance hole in one corner, and a depression to hold the water
    dish securely so it can't flip; the weight of the water bowl holds the hide in place, and the front part (near the water bowl) slopes. Snakes basically feel like they're going underground...and shy feeders can feel secure when they peek up from the hole & grab f/t prey left on top nearby. You can do the same thing with a disposable box lid &
    push it partly into the substrate. You can just cut a tight hole for the water bowl (so it sits IN the "hide") or skip the water bowl & put it elsewhere. Just saying, king & milk snakes love feeling like they have a "basement" to duck into.


    One other thing: snakes don't see well, & they LEARN their way around. In the wild, their lives depend on knowing where to quickly hide to escape a predator, so set up the cage but try not to keep changing it for a while, especially while your snake isn't eating. Once they're eating steady, it's not a big deal to make some changes, but for now she needs to feel safe.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 08-27-2020 at 05:15 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    Re: California Kingsnake Feeding help

    Ya im really hoping the new area will make her feel more secure
    And I will not be holding her for the 3 feeding or more just to make sure shes ok
    lol and if I saw giants outside I would run into a secure place to hide as fast as I could

    If youd like I could take down one of the towels for 1 sec to get a pic of the tank, I have not moved it yet cause its to heavy for me (It would be moved upstairs and im to weak lol but I should be able to have it there soon)


    And that herpatat seems like a really good idea! I can understand how they would enjoy it, im probably going to get that and if I cant ill make it!

    Ill make sure not to change her tank so she can remember where everything is

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  14. #20
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    No, leave the towel...I don't need a pic of the tank and I think you'll get this figured out soon enough. King snakes are cute, & usually pretty easy snakes to keep, once
    you get their needs figured out.

    Glad you're waiting for help with the tank...40 gal. tanks ARE hard to move & not something you want to drop or get hurt trying to move by yourself...I have quite a few
    of them, lol. And much bigger tanks too. I'm a glass tank fan all the way.

    BTW, the Bean Farm has a larger size of 'herpatat' and they also have other good basic black plastic hides too. Lots of good supplies, they're one of several reliable
    online companies, and Reptile Basics is another one, but I don't recall them ever having any hides like the 'herpatat'.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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