California Kingsnake Feeding help

[Cypris1]

Maybe this video link will work but im not sure, this one works for me


https://r4---sn-hp57knz6.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?expire=1599533243&ei=m9RWX72XOJGJ-AXCp6DACg&ip=174.63.180.183&id=5a7163f9459aaa84&itag=18&source=picasa&begin=0&re quiressl=yes&mh=UR&mm=32&mn=sn-hp57knz6&ms=su&mv=m&mvi=4&pl=19&sc=yes&susc=ph&app=fife&eaua=kKo-j4P3a8w&mime=video/mp4&dur=30.116&lmt=1599524199865327&mt=1599525876&sparams=expire,ei,ip,id,itag,s ource,requiressl,susc,app,eaua,mime,dur,lmt&sig=AOq0QJ8wRgIhAPB9K3XbU6-fP8j2wmxLthTiGuyLpL89pxVXOiFaZTNGAiEAzuR0TVBv_LasFzFFG-18ttbTV2-lcnLFTwlZxxR8qdA=&lsparams=mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl,sc&lsig=AG3C_xAwRQIhAI4RGxb2yoN 0rO2RpEg_QQ4_mWsi1xhHq1EuMuyzzsiQAiAIAu4PZCi0OgoTYpFZliwBADx1QJMedNFSRPB5yf3G6Q= =

[Bogertophis]

She's a pretty little noodle! I really like Cal-kings. You get a live pinky from pet stores near you...best call ahead to see if they have any...I assumed you knew that.

Re "2 days"...she didn't actually eat anything, right? And it's been HOW long since they said she ate? It's really best if she keeps her energy up- she needs food to do that.

At some point, if an animal (or a human in hospital, for example) goes too long without food, they lose their appetite & won't want to eat...it becomes a "downward spiral"-that's why humans in hospital have an IV started...for basic nourishment. (also to administer medications) But no IV is possible for a snake...so she needs to eat. OK?

Night-time is a more natural time for most snakes to eat & it offers more privacy too, which I assume should help her to feel safe & not distracted while eating.

Cannot tell from pics if she's underweight...not close enough & very difficult to tell from photos anyway...snakes often inhale & look better off than they really are. She does appear healthy from what I can see- from the vigorous way she's climbing...

[Cypris1]

She's a pretty little noodle! I really like Cal-kings. You get a live pinky from pet stores near you...best call ahead to see if they have any...I assumed you knew that.

Re "2 days"...she didn't actually eat anything, right? And it's been HOW long since they said she ate? It's really best if she keeps her energy up- she needs food to do that.

At some point, if an animal (or a human in hospital, for example) goes too long without food, they lose their appetite & won't want to eat...it becomes a "downward spiral"-that's why humans in hospital have an IV started...for basic nourishment. (also to administer medications) But no IV is possible for a snake...so she needs to eat. OK?

Night-time is a more natural time for most snakes to eat & it offers more privacy too, which I assume should help her to feel safe & not distracted while eating.

Cannot tell from pics if she's underweight...not close enough & very difficult to tell from photos anyway...snakes often inhale & look better off than they really are. She does appear healthy from what I can see- from the vigorous way she's climbing...

Well I did know to get pinkys from my pet store but I wasnt sure if I should get it there in case you cant trust them but I just wanted to be sure by asking.

Ya she Really does need to eat and cant go to long without food, really hoping the thing shes looking for is a live pinky..
Makes sense to have her eat at night giving her privacy and having her feel more secure.

Ya the pictures are terrible quality but if I used my phone she would see me and get scared so its all ive got for now. She can really get up that cord fast, she probably knows that I open it from the top so shes possibly trying to escape from there.

[Bogertophis]

Yes, she knows it's an escape route...silly snek. I have no idea where you are, much less the best places to buy live pinks where you are, so ask around. Not all pet stores
carry live, so don't wait- get on this A.S.A.P. You might have to wait for some to be born also. Too bad we're not neighbors... I raise mice all the time, but I sure can't mail 'em!

If your pet stores don't sell live pinkies, ask the local veterinarians (esp. for exotic pets) if they know of any sources.

[Cypris1]

Yes, she knows it's an escape route...silly snek. I have no idea where you are, much less the best places to buy live pinks where you are, so ask around. Not all pet stores
carry live, so don't wait- get on this A.S.A.P. You might have to wait for some to be born also. Too bad we're not neighbors... I raise mice all the time, but I sure can't mail 'em!

If your pet stores don't sell live pinkies, ask the local veterinarians (esp. for exotic pets) if they know of any sources.

Vary smart snek also lol

Ive got a petland that has live but I will have to call to see when they will have pinkys, last time I was there all I saw was hoppers and adults but didnt see any pinkys, they might keep them in the back so I will call them tomorrow morning when their open to see if they have any.
It would be great to be neighbors, would make it easier lol

I ill give my local exotics veterinarians a call and see what they say about a good source of live pinkies if my pet store does not offer pinkys or if they wont have them for awhile

[Caitlin]

She's a beautiful little snake. I suspect the breeder wasn't truthful with you about her eating F/T. Baby kings can be pure hell to get started eating, so try not to be too hard on yourself. Feeding live will likely do the trick.

Remember to check Craigslist and/or the Facebook rodent breeder groups for local contacts. Also, check to see if there is a local herpetology society in your area - members may have suggestions. Check with your local zoo and/or any wildlife rehabs if you have either in the area.

If 4-5 days pass and you attempt another F/T feeding before you can locate live food, try braining the F/T mouse. I know you tried the peeling the nose trick, but braining them results in a more intense scent. Sorry for how yucky this sounds, but it isn't too bad on a F/T pinky: take a small nail or a pin and push it through the base or top of the skull, then squeeze until you can see some brain matter and cerebrospinal fluid.

I'm not a fan of putting pinkies in hot water because they 'cook' too fast, but for a really stubborn eater I do like to blast the pinky with a hair dryer for just a few seconds - sometimes that extra touch of warmth really helps, though the scent from braining may well be sufficient. I'd dim room lights, offer it on tongs, drop it right in front of your snake as soon as she indicates she's scented it, and walk away. My Gray-banded Kingsnake has been with me for going on two years now, and he has only recently started taking food from tongs; I had to leave it with him before. Best of luck! Once you get past this very frustrating barrier, you should have a little eating machine on your hands.

[Cypris1]

She's a beautiful little snake. I suspect the breeder wasn't truthful with you about her eating F/T. Baby kings can be pure hell to get started eating, so try not to be too hard on yourself. Feeding live will likely do the trick.

Remember to check Craigslist and/or the Facebook rodent breeder groups for local contacts. Also, check to see if there is a local herpetology society in your area - members may have suggestions. Check with your local zoo and/or any wildlife rehabs if you have either in the area.

If 4-5 days pass and you attempt another F/T feeding before you can locate live food, try braining the F/T mouse. I know you tried the peeling the nose trick, but braining them results in a more intense scent. Sorry for how yucky this sounds, but it isn't too bad on a F/T pinky: take a small nail or a pin and push it through the base or top of the skull, then squeeze until you can see some brain matter and cerebrospinal fluid.

I'm not a fan of putting pinkies in hot water because they 'cook' too fast, but for a really stubborn eater I do like to blast the pinky with a hair dryer for just a few seconds - sometimes that extra touch of warmth really helps, though the scent from braining may well be sufficient. I'd dim room lights, offer it on tongs, drop it right in front of your snake as soon as she indicates she's scented it, and walk away. My Gray-banded Kingsnake has been with me for going on two years now, and he has only recently started taking food from tongs; I had to leave it with him before. Best of luck! Once you get past this very frustrating barrier, you should have a little eating machine on your hands.

Ya sadly I dont think they where able to get her to eat f/t, I had not know baby kings would be hard to get started on eating but now I know lol. She should hopefully eat the live

Ill check craigslist and Facebook to see if I can find any and see if theres any herpetology societys near me and check zoos and wildlife rehabs if I still cant find some.

With the f/t pinky I did peel the nose , I did plan to brain but I was not sure how, ive got plenty of pins that I can use and im likely going to ask someone to do the squeezing part for me so if I cant find a live I will brain a f/t.

When I had tried the hair dryer once for a few secs awhile ago I think I did it to long, the next day when I was taking it out it looked like a piece of beef jerky so ill just try no hair dryer and just braining for now.
A problem with the tongs is that right when I open the tank she quickly goes into a hide, I could place it in the hide entrance that shes in and hope that she smells it.
Very excited to get her eating!

[Bogertophis]

Most king* snakes are NOT hard to get feeding...I've bred & raised California kings before...they fed like crazy.

*Some kinds (like gray-bandeds) ARE notoriously hard to get going though (which might be responsible for the comment given & experience that Caitlin had?). Keep in
mind that all snakes have individual characteristics anyway...and the fact is, YOUR king snake is hard to feed. This is often the result of breeding snakes for appearances
as is common in this hobby for the purpose of making money on snakes with unusually attractive markings rather than the way nature does things: the survival of
the fittest, so please keep that in mind. The "prettiest snake" may or may not be the best at thriving.

[Bogertophis]

On August 18th our baby California Kingsnake arrived...

Do you have a hatch date? I cannot tell her size from photos/video...can you estimate her length? Did you buy her from a breeder or a pet store? Did they give you a feeding record of any kind? (how many times she ate for them, what exactly she ate, & the dates she fed?) If she came from a pet store, how long did they have her on the premises? (or was she bred by them?)

[Cypris1]

Most king* snakes are NOT hard to get feeding...I've bred & raised California kings before...they fed like crazy.

*Some kinds (like gray-bandeds) ARE notoriously hard to get going though (which might be responsible for the comment given & experience that Caitlin had?). Keep in
mind that all snakes have individual characteristics anyway...and the fact is, YOUR king snake is hard to feed. This is often the result of breeding snakes for appearances
as is common in this hobby for the purpose of making money on snakes with unusually attractive markings rather than the way nature does things: the survival of
the fittest, so please keep that in mind. The "prettiest snake" may or may not be the best at thriving.

Ya I was expecting eating to be a breeze but as long as she eats its ok

I love gray-banded kings but I didn't get one because of them being hard to feed, sadly mine is also picky. She might have been one of those that have been breed for their looks but is not good for surviving, imperial reptiles seems like a big company ):