Feeding my King other snakes

[Eggo]

OK,first time post here,im probably going to pop in now and then,but i just need to ask a question

Ive got a California Kingsnake,that ive had for almost 7 years,and shes almost 4 feet long. today i cought a black racer,and tried to feed it to her,but it was almost as big as her,and she didnt kill it,she just wrapped around it,and then after a while of it not dying i separated them. I was wondering,if i were to find a Pygme Rattlesnake,would i be able to drop it into her cage,and sit back to watch the show? or does not being wild remove the anti venom from there system,or make them not "remember" how to hunt them?
She attacked the black racer,and constricted it as if it were a mouse,but it was so skinny,that i would have been supprised if she did kill it. sorry i didnt search,ill go do that now
Thanks alot

~Eggo~

[C.m.pyrrhus]

Well..this is really up to you. The rattler would not do anything in way of harming your king by much. Getula ssp. are well known for eatting venomous species of snakes. My thought is in not seeing a big reason to do it, really. Rats and mice , I am sure you know, are best foods to give.

I do know many folks here in AZ that collect road kill snakes for feeding finicky Kings and other snake eatters like Ringnecks and Corals. They are of course dead and then froze for a good time before feeding, also many folks (like me) do feed frozen thawed WC lizards to some of their lizard eatting snakes as well. Some of the Sidewinders I have had need a few lizard meals before they will accept rats or mice for good.

Otherwise, if your interested in watching the King eat another snake live, just realize you will be taking a bit of risk, especially if it be a WC snake. You just may be spreading pathogens on to your captive King...all up to you man.

[Eggo]

so basically your saying,there is no reason to do it other than the show,and the biggest way it could harm my snake is disease/parasites?

im just trying to make sure i gather the rite stuff from that

[Katt]

Parasites and diseases are another way of saying slow way to death and expensive vet trips. There really is no need to feed your king other snakes unless it's finicky.

[Eggo]

what if i bought one of the captive bread gardeners from a petstore for like 6 bux?
how much safer is that?

[reptile boi]

garter snakes for 6 bux at a petstore are usually wc even if they label it as cb, even so if they are cb they most likely still carry parasites and diseases as the petstore might be only feeding them live goldfish.




Thanks,
Ben

[Bartman]

As everyone else said, if their is no need to feed it other snakes, then try as hard as you can not to. Its just a risk that really has no point in taking...you'd just be better off, and most likely safer, to just stick with f/t mice..