what to feed adult kingsnakes

Kingsnakes can basically eat anything, but the foods that they prefer over others include:

• Rodents
• Lizards
• Birds
• Bird eggs
• Mice
• Frogs
• Turtles
• Turtle eggs
• Venomous Snakes

Full Answer

What do you feed king snakes?

But in captivity, it is most common to feed them mice or rats. You can purchase either live or frozen rats/mice to feed your King snake, but some people are uncomfortable with the idea of giving their snakes live food.

How often should I Feed my California King Snake?

That is why it’s so important you do not keep your California King Snake with other snakes – even if they’re from the same breed. For best results when it comes to captive California King Snake care, feed your snake once a week (at least). Once it is full grown, you can scale back to once every 2-3 weeks.

Do kingsnakes eat rattlesnakes?

Kingsnakes love feasting on snakes with poison such as rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads. These venomous snakes’ poison don’t affect them at all, so they are free to munch on them as they please. Their fascination with snakes extends to both dangerous and non-poisonous varieties.

What do you need for a king snake enclosure?

This includes a large water dish for your snake. This is a good enclosure for most kingsnake species. It has plenty of ventilation, you can easily run the under-tank heaters, and it is secure. Being able to handle your snake from the side is also good.

What should I feed my king snake?

Pet kingsnakes eat rodents, live reptile food, and mice. When kept in captivity, kingsnakes typically eat rodents and mice....Kingsnakes can basically eat anything, but the foods that they prefer over others include:Rodents.Lizards.Birds.Bird eggs.Mice.Frogs.Turtles.Turtle eggs.More items...•

How often should you feed an adult kingsnake?

Hatchlings should be fed once every 5-7 days. Juveniles should be fed once every 7-10 days. Adults should be fed once every 10-14 days.

What do you feed small kingsnakes?

A well-balanced kingsnake diet consists of:Appropriately sized frozen rodents, properly thawed and warmed.Pinkies up to small mice may be fed to hatchlings/juveniles; large mice or rats are typically fed to adults.More items...

When should I feed my king snake?

Adult kingsnakes can be fed once every two weeks as they can become overweight if fed weekly. A water bowl large enough for the snake to get in to should be provided on the cool end of the enclosure.

Can you overfeed a king snake?

King snakes are the worst when it comes to overfeeding. They eat and eat and then regurgitate it all back, not a nice mess to clean! Dont know the size of your juvenile but feed him 1 prey item the size of the snake's widest part of his body - excluding the head. Once a week.

How long can a king snake go without eating?

Generally speaking, snakes can go a long time without being fed or eating. Nearly all snakes can last a few weeks, no problem. Similarly, most snakes can even last a few months. After the two-month mark, certain snakes will begin to starve.

How often should a king snake eat?

Hatchling snakes are typically fed every 5 days while adults are typically fed every 10 days. However, it should be noted that some hobbyists feed adult snakes once a week.

How big is a 1 year old king snake?

How big are California kingsnakes? California kingsnakes start out around 13 inches in length as babies. You can expect them to double in size in their first year, and then double that again in their second year. So a 13 inch snake will be around 26 inches at a year old, and 36-40 inches at age two.

Do King snakes like to be held?

King snakes are similar to corn snakes in that they're easy to handle and enjoy being held. However, king snakes are more common in the wild. They can be found all over North and South America.

How long does it take for a king snake to reach full size?

California Kingsnakes are moderately sized, yet slender, growing to be an average of 4 – 5 feet (1.3 – 15. m) in length. Most California kings will reach adulthood within three to four years of age.

Do kingsnakes need heat at night?

Almost all kingsnakes and milksnakes do well with a maintenance temperature gradient of 84-88 degrees fahrenheit on the warm end and 70-75 degrees at the cool end. At night, the temperature can safely drop to 65 degrees as long as the snake can warm up during the day.

How often should you handle a king snake?

1-2x weeklyHandle your kingsnake at least 1-2x weekly, but no more than once daily. Snakes do not require social interaction, but handling helps the snake stay tame and is a good opportunity for exercise as well.

How often should a baby kingsnake eat?

Baby king and milksnakes do best on a diet of pinky mice, generally one or two pinky mice once a week. As the snake grows, so should its prey. A general rule of thumb is to feed a snake a food item that is as large, or slightly larger, than the diameter of the snake at its widest point (excluding the head).

How long do pet kingsnakes live?

Under optimal conditions and in captivity, California Kingsnakes can live to the ripe old age of twenty years or more, the average lifespan being somewhere between 10 and 15 years.

How often should I feed my Mexican Black Kingsnake?

every 10-14 daysHatchlings can be fed every 5-7 days. Juveniles should be offered food every 7-10 days and adults fed every 10-14 days. These snakes tend to go off food during fall and will become restless.

How often do kingsnakes eat in the wild?

California king snakes can do fine on once-a-week feeding sessions. However, more frequent feeding sessions -- think a minimum of two times weekly -- generally encourage speedier development. Note that these snakes aren't always willing to eat more than once per week.

What to feed your kingsnake?

For adult kingsnakes, you should feed them mice. Smaller kingsnakes might require pinkies. The size of the food really depends on the size of your snake.

How often should you feed your kingsnake?

Snakes don’t need to be fed that often. For adult kingsnakes feeding them once every 10 days should be enough.

Why your kingsnake might not eat?

All first-time snake owners freak out when their snakes suddenly stop eating. We’ve all been there. Even me.

1. Housing

One of the things that make King snakes easier to care for, is that they do not grow as large as some other popular pets like Pythons. Because they do not grow as large, they do not need an enormous enclosure. Most people will keep their King snake in a glass tank or aquarium, which is pretty standard for most reptiles.

2. Temperature and lighting

Being that King snakes are ectotherms, it is very important to make sure their cage is kept at an optimal temperature. In the wild, King snakes tend to live in warmer and somewhat moderate temperatures. The ambient temperature in your enclosure should be between 80 and 85 degrees.

3. Diet and feeding

One of the things that makes owning a snake convenient is that they do not need to eat as often as other pets. However, the frequency of how often you feed your King snake depends on their age.

4. Substrate

King snakes are very hearty snakes and are not particularly picky about their substrate. But many keepers recommend using Aspen shavings. You can also use coconut fiber or bark chips. These types of substrate provide a moderately dry habitat and help to create an optimal environment for your King snake.

5. Maintenance

Because they eat so infrequently, snakes defecate infrequently, which makes maintaining their enclosures relatively easy. You should be keeping an eye out on your King snake’s cage after they eat so that you can remove any waste- also known as spot cleaning. This will keep things cleaner and will allow you to go longer in between deep cleans.

6. Handling

For most pet owners, it is important to be able to handle and spend time with their pet. Some snakes are more reluctant to be held than others, but generally King snakes are quite content to be handled.

7. Other things to know

King snakes are generally very easy to care for, but there are some things that can come up that complicate proper care. For example, this species is prone to respiratory infections- which are somewhat common in captive reptiles.

What do snakes eat?

Food and Water: Baby King Snakes will feed on small pinky mice. As the King Snake grows it can eat fuzzy mice, adult mice, and smaller rats. Frozen/thawed rodents, such as Mack’s Natural Reptile Food Frozen Rodents, are always best because live rodents may harm your snake.

Why are king snakes good pets?

King Snakes make very good pets because they are very easy to care for and come in a variety of different colors and patterns. Generally curious, easy to handle, and voracious feeders. When your King Snake gets ready to shed, the eyes will turn a milky blue and the body color will start to become dull and develop a whitish sheen.

How long do king snakes live?

Scientific Name: Lampropeltis getulus. Native to: North America. Maximum Length: 2-6 feet. Life Span: 10-15 years. Characteristics: Our King Snakes are captive bred here at Reptiles by Mack under the watchful care of our snake experts. King Snakes make very good pets because they are very easy to care for and come in a variety ...

What substrate do snakes use?

Truly the King of the Snakes! Substrate: You can use Aspen shavings, Sani-chips, cypress mulch, and pelleted paper. California King Snakes will do better on a more dry substrate such as the shavings, chips, and paper. Florida King Snakes will do better on mulch or sphagnum moss as they are from a more tropical habitat.

How much humidity do king and milk snakes need?

King and milk snakes do not need high humidity levels—40 to 60 percent is sufficient. A hygrometer or humidity gauge will help you check moisture levels. In most cases, a shallow dish of water in the cage should be adequate. During shedding, they may benefit from added humidity.

How big of a tank do snakes need?

However, medium-sized (36 inches) adult snakes need a 20-gallon tank, and larger, full-grown snakes (60 inches) would thrive in a larger enclosure, such as a 60-gallon tank. King and milk snakes are quite active and need the room. Snakes that have the room to stretch may also have a reduced incidence of respiratory infections.

Why do milk snakes gurgle?

The biggest threat to a pet kingsnake or milk snake is a respiratory infection. These snakes can get colds or pneumonia, which is often caused by a problem with the temperature in the cage. Symptoms can include bubbling or gurgling at the mouth, gasping, or mucus around the nose.

What color are king and milk snakes?

They vary significantly in size, color, and patterns. 1  Many subspecies have striking, beautiful patterns, including some that have a natural defense of mimicking the red, black, and yellow color banding of venomous coral snakes. A key difference is nonvenomous king and milk have black bands that touch red bands, ...

How much does a snake cost to eat mice?

Make sure your snake is already a good eater of pre-killed mice. If you have doubts, ask for a demonstration of your snake feeding. You can expect to pay $30 to $200, depending on the morph (color), the rareness of the variety, and age. Hatchlings usually cost less, since adults are proven eaters and thriving.

How to tell if a snake is healthy?

Signs of a healthy snake include a firm, rounded body; no discharge from the nose ; no dusty specks on the body of the snake (mites); no open-mouth breathing or gasping; inside of mouth looks pink (not red or cheesy); shiny, smooth skin (no sores or scabs), clean fecal opening (vent), and movement without tremors.

Where are milk and king snakes native?

Milk and king snakes are native in southern parts of Canada, throughout the U.S., and Central and South America.

What do kingsnakes eat?

If you are not comfortable with the idea of feeing your Kingsnakes live mice, you can feed them frozen mice that have thawed.

Can kingsnakes eat mice?

In the wild, California Kingsnake will eat any bird or animal small enough to be swallowed whole. These include rattlesnakes. While in captivity, they should be fed rodents, usually mice which are easy to get because of its availability. You can offer live or well-thawed frozen mice to them but you should think twice of feeding them live adult mice because they can inflict wounds to your Kingsnakes. Fresh killed mice are the best choice.

Do kingsnakes eat chicken eggs?

Kingsnakes are well-known for eating chicken eggs. Besides the fact that eggs are easily sneaked from a bird’s nest, it is also a good source of protein for your snake.

How much do kingsnakes eat?

Feeder Sizing. Kingsnakes can generally eat 1 - 1.5x the widest part of there body. However if your feeding 1.5x it's girth it's recommended that you make your feedings less frequent.

Can you feed a kingsnake?

Feeding a Kingsnake live rodents can be dangerous and is not recommended. Captive bred snakes specifically, don't gain the instincts that they normally do in the wild and are much more susceptible to injury. If you leave live rodents in an enclosure with a snake that isn't hungry it may even get eaten by the rodents themselves. Live rodents also carry potentially dangerous diseases and pathogens that frozen rodents are much less likely to have. Lower temperatures help kill and prevent growth of diseases which is why it's not only recommended to use frozen feeders for your snakes safety but also your own health.

Is a kingsnake more aggressive than a corn snake?

Temperament. Kingsnakes are slightly more aggressive than a Corn Snake and quite a bit more timid. They create an "S" shape with their body when preparing to go into a defensive position. For juvenile snakes that you've only recieved recently, give them a few days to get used to their new environment before handling.

What do California King Snakes eat?

In the wild, California King Snakes feed on both cold blooded and warm blooded animals. That means frogs, lizards, fish, rodents, birds, and just any any other small woodland creature you can think of.

How big is a California King Snake?

Full grown California King Snake (40-60 inches) : Stick with adult mice or move to weaned mice depending on girth and size. Also – it’s important to give your California King Snake time after feeding. Wait until their food baby (or mouse bulge) goes away until handling.

Why do snakes turn to the water bowl?

Snakes will turn to the water bowl if they become overheated. A good solution to this problem is opting for a reptile/serpent heating pad and ditching the light. As mentioned, California King Snakes do not need light source if they are in a room with natural light. Your snake might have mites.

Can you put a California King Snake in a 20 gallon aquarium?

There are also many other alternatives to this enclosure for a California King Snake. Most 20 gallon aquariums or terrariums can be converted into a proper cage. Be sure you get the right mesh lid and clamps – and presto! you can create a California King Snake cage on a budget. See on Amazon.

Is California King Snake bedding organic?

It's perfect in every way - the chips aren't too small, and allow for ample burrowing. This California King Snake bedding omits no odor, makes for an easy clean up, and is organically sourced. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, try shredded newspaper. More on that below.

Can you buy a California King Snake from captivity?

That said, if you purchase a California King Snake from captivity, chances are you’re going to get a snake that’s used to being held. By the way -we highly recommend purchasing a captive California King Snake as opposed to capturing one in the wild.

Do California King Snakes make good pets?

Short answer – yes! California King Snakes make excellent pets. These are excellent beginner snakes, and are easy to maintain. Plus, once they warm up to you, they are typically very social and friendly. Overall, California King Snakes are great.

King Snake Enclosure

The most important factor for your snake is how you house it. We will go over how to create the perfect home for your snake.

Substrate

A substrate is needed both for cleaning and for your snake’s comfort. You can use something like paper or reptile carpet, but this doesn’t allow for natural burrowing behavior.

Heating

Kingsnakes are ectotherms, meaning they require outside heat to raise their internal temperature. You will need to provide a source of heat on one end of your enclosure and let the other end remain cooler.

Lighting

Kingsnakes do not need special lighting. If they are in a room with natural light, they should be fine.

Shelter

Kingsnakes need shelter to feel secure. They naturally avoid open space since their main predators are birds of prey. In captivity, you need to provide shelter.

Humidity

Your snake will need a minimum humidity level of 40-60% to successfully shed. You should keep it at this level at all times since low humidity can also make your snake more likely to dehydrate.

Enclosure Maintenance

Your king snake needs to be kept in a clean enclosure to avoid illness and infections. You should start by checking the water, temperature, humidity, and spot clean any urine or feces daily.

Housing

Temperature and Lighting

Diet and Feeding

Substrate

• King snakes are very hearty snakes and are not particularly picky about their substrate. But many keepers recommend using Aspen shavings. You can also use coconut fiberor bark chips. These types of substrate provide a moderately dry habitat and help to create an optimal environment for your King snake. 1. Zoo Med aspen snake bedding 2. Zoo Med rept...

See more on reptilejam.com

Maintenance

Handling

Other Things to Know