Kingsnake keepers-- a little help please???

[Lori P]

Sid, yeah, I got it. :-) And thanks!!! I'm really, really happy with them. Hey, at least they are in the garter family.... :-)

[Lori P]

OOOPS!!!!!!!!!

Ok... well... I bought this plastic critter keeper tank today as a temporary home for these babies, right? And it has a plastic devider that you can put down the middle. Seemed like a great idea! So they are in their own sides...

So then, with the kingsnake being so active, I decided to offer a thawed chopped pinky just to see if maybe miraculously she would eat...

And when I just walked back in to check on her, this is what I see:




The milksnake has gotten into the kingsnake's side and is eating her pinky!!!!!!




SO, I am now preparing the kingsnake her own home!!!!!!!! Eeeek... live and learn, live and learn!!!! I really don't just post these things to point out my ignorance... I post them in the hopes that others learn from my mistakes!!!!!

But hey-- the good news is-- the milksnake has no eating issues at this point!!! lol

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

Beatiful snakes u got there lori at my local show there were so many snakes i wanted i met this one guy tho who i knew (but didnt know he was into snakes) and hes going to sell me a few albino tangerine milks for a low price in spring(he also convinced my mom to let me get them which is un heard of) so tell me how u like the milk

[RZL36]

Got this from the kingsnake forums from a reputable guy:

As most of you know sometimes we have kingsnake hatchlings that refuse to eat. Most of the time they get over this problem in a month or so, other times it takes significantly longer. After trying the old standby of cooling a non-feeding hatchling for 2-4 weeks they still won't eat. They're thin and must eat or they will die.

That's where force feeding comes into play. I choose rat tails because they are much more substantial than a mouse tail but smaller hatchlings will need smaller tails.

I start by going to the freezer to to pick a meal





The tail is cut from the frozen rat on an angle to facilitate feeding.



I thaw the tail in warm water for a few minutes.



The now thawed tail.



The non-feeder "Bad Snake" he says in a stern tone of voice.
Notice the sexing probe to the right of the box.

[Lori P]

I LOOOVE the milk so far... kind of skittish, but, once she feels safe she is active and all over the tank. And I really, really love her coloring.

Hey Reed... think we could wait a week to ship your snakes or would that put you into a bind??? Let me know... just kind of having to be nice to Jamie right now since I ran his brand new truck into a tree yesterday... and 4 snakes in one week might just be pushing it a bit. LOL If not, no worries, he'll get over it!!!!

[RZL36]

Pick up the snake and firmly secure the rear of the head between your thumb and index finger.





Pick up the probe and gently slide the ball tip into one corner and slide through until the jaws are slightly separated. Don't damage the teeth the probe just needs to slid through. Use the hand holding the snake to also hold the probe. Now with your free hand slide the cut end of the tail into the snakes mouth. Once the jaws are around the tail extract the probe and slowly push the tail down the snakes throat.





If you stop at this point some snakes will work their jaws along and will swallow the meal. If they do great. Others like this one will regurge unless its shoved further along.



Keep pushing GENTLY until at this point even the most difficult cases will usually finish the job.





At least thats how I do it. I'll force feed twice a week and place the snake in a deli cup with a f/t pinkie overnight 3 nights a week until they eat.
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[Lori P]

WOW... Rich, thank you!!!!!!!! Awesome info and pics!!!!!!

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

haha ya ill ship whenevr u want

I LOOOVE the milk so far... kind of skittish, but, once she feels safe she is active and all over the tank. And I really, really love her coloring.

Hey Reed... think we could wait a week to ship your snakes or would that put you into a bind??? Let me know... just kind of having to be nice to Jamie right now since I ran his brand new truck into a tree yesterday... and 4 snakes in one week might just be pushing it a bit. LOL If not, no worries, he'll get over it!!!!

[Snaky]

What Rich posted is very good way.

I also have found out that they prefer other pinkies, instead of mice pinkies. Here they love Mastomys natalensis:

They also prefer rats above mice here, so you can try part of a rat.

Make sure they can not reach each other, they are cannibalistic and accidents happen...

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

also about the milks lori it takes about a year for them to fully calm down