Scary Moment

[ConcinusMan]

breeding them is scary from hell
when the male gets excited he grabs the female by the neck - easy to get confused there

I think he does that so she can't turn around and eat HIM.

[stripe&houdini]

Nice save Steve, you know what they say, one kingsnake plus one kingsnake = one kingsnake.

Make that one kingsnake + one kingsnake = one fat kingsnake.

[Odie]

I used to occasionally treat my last CA king to a small ordinoides. It's not like there isn't enough to go around. It is possible to love them dearly AND occasionally use them as food for other snakes.

Say it an't so

[ConcinusMan]

Too late I just said it was so..

You have to consider the king was a WC adult female that preferred lizards and small snakes, any reptilian food. She wasn't eating enough rodents to thrive but she grew well on reptilian food. Even so, if a king prefers rodents, then offer a small snake or lizard if it's available. If she accepts it she should be given an option once in a while. She was the only thing I brought up to WA with me when I arrived in 1986. She had been eating mostly local(her local) lizards and snakes, caught by me.

No lizards to catch up here in WA but "oh look at all these little garter snakes". Honestly, what would you do?

[reptilegirl]

Good Save

[drache]

I'm no longer certain about some of these hard truths
I've been having a pair of kings housing together for a half a year now, and I can't wait to see what kind of flak I'll end up with for admitting this
in the beginning it was the scariest thing, and it still is sometimes, especially since the female is mine, and she is just a little bit smaller, and after all it's him who grabs her by the neck
the owner of the male tells me he's been keeping kings together without any accidents for years, and I've chosen to accept this as a piece of info from a person I trust to care about animals often to the point of putting his own comfort aside
one of the things that does make it a lot less scary, is that both of these animals are cb and neither has ever had the opportunity to eat anything other than f/t mice. I know that mine backs off if the mouse moves because I once got live rodents for a problem feeder, and was left with the understanding that the majority of my snakes prefer them to be dead.
I'm beginning to believe that this whole "need for hunting" thing may well be a projection by frustrated human males, just like some of the hard truths might be a tad soft around the edges
and if one of the kings gets eaten, you guys will be the first to know - before even the owner of the other snake

[Stefan-A]

The term "tempting fate" does come to mind.

[drache]

The term "tempting fate" does come to mind.

it does, quite

[ConcinusMan]

There's always somebody that experiences a rare exception. Every day they're kept together increases the odds that somebody will become food and the odds are already against you simply because they are kingsnakes. There's really no reason to push your luck and keep them together outside of breeding time.

Are these CA kings you're keeping together? I ask because even though all king snakes and milk snakes can be cannabilistic, some species are much less likely to feast on one another. That black king of Steves is a reptile specialist in the wild, naturally eating mostly other snakes. I have no doubt it would immediately devour any snake offered. All CA kings I've ever had, even the ones that prefer rodents, would eventually tire of their companion and then you have = 1.

[guidofatherof5]

Too late I just said it was so..

No lizards to catch up here in WA but "oh look at all these little garter snakes". Honestly, what would you do?

I thought I was done with this subject but I must chime in.

And you wanted me to send you a couple of my radixes! I think they will be staying in Iowa. Safe and sound.
Personanly, don't like your flippant attitude about feeding off the one animal this website is dedicated to and I don't care if there's a lot of them.
I know of a couple members that have feed dead/stillborns/deformed garters to other animals in their collections but to feed garters just to feed another snake or any other animal doesn't sit right with me.
I've only been a member of this forum for less than two years but have spent a lot of time reading old threads. I don't remember reading any comments from current or past members referring to feeding healthy garters to other animals. I know that we disagree on this subject and to each his own, but I'm not going to be silent
I'm sorry if this offends you but I couldn't let your comment sit.