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  1. #1
    Registered User DLreptile's Avatar
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    Fla. King tank size?

    Thinking ahead, what is a good tank size for a Florida King? I have a desk that would fit a 40 gal. breeder. Anything larger, and I'll have to come up with another idea. And pic of the little guy. I named him Freddie... (actually don't know the sex, but don't care). So far, he's been a great pet. Always looking around, very inquisitive. Been spending so much time w/ this one dude, I'm thinking of selling my two other snakes, as they will no doubt get less handling time...lol.


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  3. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    A 40 gal. breeder is a very good bet- for a long time & maybe for life. Your snake may or may not eventually out-grow that, but it will take many years- a long healthy life- to do so.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  5. #3
    Registered User DLreptile's Avatar
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    Re: Fla. King tank size?

    Thanks.

  6. #4
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Also, one thing you can do for a king snake in that size tank is to buy or make something (an oversized "hide") that creates a "basement" level on all or most of the tank floor. Leave the water bowl at one end, not on the "hide", but other things (decor) CAN be on top of the "hide". When your king snake is an adult, making a permanent "2nd story" is another way of adding floor space.

    Kings (& many other snakes) LOVE to burrow, & rather than anything permanent right away, you can experiment with clean cardboard boxes of the right size- cutting them down (be careful using a sharp boxcutter tool) to turn them into a large, low flat-topped "hide" with a doorway on one end (to the water bowl) & one or more holes on the top. It will quickly be obvious to you just how much your snake appreciates this- you'll see them using it a lot. Part of the "hide" should be over the UTH- & part of it should be unheated. This simulates their life in the wild, where they occupy rodent burrows, etc. You still want to cut the holes/doorways so they have plenty of privacy areas below, & their substrate offers a sense of security too.

    Obviously, using anything made of cardboard is temporary- when it's soiled, it's trash. But small snakes even enjoy an empty Kleenex box when it's set up right. I also think that it's good for a young snake to be able to explore things (cardboard rolls from paper towels, buried in substrate, for example) -it's like kindergarten only for snakes- good way to develop their brains & abilities. As long as your king snake is adapting well (good appetite & not bothered by handling), he won't mind some changes to explore in his tank either. They're more active & curious than BPs.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  8. #5
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Oh, & by the way, regarding the large type of "hide" I described above, you can plan on feeding your king snake by leaving his f/t prey on top, near one of the holes, & as they grow & get braver, obviously you can leave prey further away, because they'll be associating that "top floor" with hunting for food. -You can also feed a king snake from tongs- either way. They're easy & fun snakes, & far less bothered by changes on their home turf than a BP. (you also don't need to warm their f/t prey- just thaw it thoroughly)
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  9. #6
    BPnet Royalty KMG's Avatar
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    My Kings have a single hide, some clumps of moss, and thick cypress mulch substrate. They are currently in a rack system. I warm their food like I do my other snakes and feed with tongs.

    They have not made me think of getting rid of any of my other snakes. I don't understand that. It's not like most snakes want to be handled so they're probably happier without it anyways.
    Last edited by KMG; 01-11-2022 at 04:40 AM.
    KMG
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  10. #7
    BPnet Veteran Malum Argenteum's Avatar
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    To pursue the interesting tangent: I keep one BP (a normal male I've had for 13 years now), and it is by far the most boring snake I keep or ever have kept. I've often had the thought about many animals "this new species makes this other species so uninteresting/ugly/so 1990s and this species isn't in style anymore and what will my internet buddies think of me ? I should not keep this other species" and sometimes I've gone through with dropping a species.

    But keeping a variety of species, some exciting some boring, some pretty some ugly, some easy to care for and some kind of a pain, is a very valuable experience IMO. I've come to see herp keeping as something more than 'bigger better faster more' or some pursuit of perfection (as in morph chasing), or a journey with a distinct goal (such as gradually working through more "advanced" species to some "dream animal"). Seeing the diversity between species is a trip, and I'm not thinking of the basic things like size color or pattern or activity level or apparent intelligence, but rather the fact that extended time with a species brings about a realization that the differences and similarities between a kingsnake and a BP is like the differences and similarities between a squirrel monkey and a human (which makes sense, as the evolutionary relationships are about the same in each pair). When I watch a monkey I learn something about myself, hopefully (usually something I'd rather ignore), and when I interact with one snake I learn things about the others, and in both cases I feel like I understand the world a little better.

    TL;DR: you might keep them all, it'll be cool.
    Last edited by Malum Argenteum; 01-11-2022 at 09:29 AM.

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  12. #8
    BPnet Lifer EL-Ziggy's Avatar
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    Re: Fla. King tank size?

    Congrats on your new critter! A 40g tank will be great for a king. It could possibly even be a lifelong enclosure. Kings are such cool snakes to keep. If I ever get another smaller snake it’ll definitely be a king. I really miss the pair I used to have. I will echo that keeping a variety of species is very rewarding so don’t limit yourself. You can learn something from all of them. I have arboreal/terrestrial, diurnal/nocturnal, s, m, l, and xl snakes. It’s amazing to see the similarities and differences between species and individuals.
    3.0 Carpet Pythons, 1.1 Bullsnakes
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