Welllllllllllllll it's not an MBK............. - Page 2

trailblazer295 · 01-01-16, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I usually feed my adult colubrids roughly 10% of their body weight per feeding. I'll sometimes feed two smaller prey items if I have an abundance of them or if I want to offer different prey items. Since my kings prefer mice over rats they get two (30g) jumbo mice, or a 30/30g chick and mouse vs. a small (60g) rat. It's the same amount of food just smaller bites

. I can't imagine one or the other being more stressful on their digestive systems so again, it's all about choices. There's no right or wrong, just different methods that hopefully achieve the same results of keeping our animals strong and healthy for many years to come.

Oh okay I understand better now. Was thinking it was a size issue with thinner snakes vs a thicker meal.

bigsnakegirl785 · 01-01-16, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minkness

And all of that, while probably true, is different for individual snakes. Colubrids naturally have a higher metabolism, so require more regular feeding, where as a large boa or burmese can, and should go longer. That's why some snakes like indigos and cribos require ALOT more food, more often, than ither colubrids. They are in the family, but need, and thus produce more.

There is nothing really 'wrong' with maintenance feeding at any age really. That's the great thing about reptiles. Even a meal knce a monthwont starve most snakes. (But it will others).

So, feed weekly, or bi-weekly as you choose. Though I will believe that most will encourage you to feed weekly. =)

Generally, kingsnakes and milksnakes have fairly slow metabolisms. Even corn snakes are often recommended to feed every 2 weeks as adults. The only exceptions I can think of are garter snakes, and maybe indigoes. As far as more well-known species go. I'm sure random lesser-known species like wolf snakes or file snakes or something could be exempt as well.

Other than my retic and eastern garter, none of my snakes regularly show signs of being "hungry." My ball python does, but it's usually after a feeding strike, and doesn't last long. Most of my snakes react to food like "oh, food ok" and take them with little to no drama. Only my garters, retic, and rainbow boa are fed weekly. My adult ball python and 6 month BCI are fed every 2 weeks, and my adult BCI is fed every 5 weeks. Even after I fast my BCI, he doesn't act a discernible amount more excited about food than he does when I'm feeding him regularly.

trailblazer295 · 01-02-16, 10:12 PM

Update, starting to see her out a bit more. First time I caught her out of a hide she seemed to be startled by movement in the room. Could see her head jerk quickly and stop moving. She was poking out of the hide earlier in the day as I was getting ready for work. Got home and she is stretched out at the front of the cage. She didn't seem to notice or move when I was in the room. I think she is slowly getting settled. I'll give her a few days before I try feeding, give her a rat pup for now until I get 2 meals into her then weigh her and adjust meals accordingly. She could probably handle a bigger meal but she is used to eating pups and until I get an accurate weight I'll feed weekly pups.

**EL Ziggy** · 01-02-16, 10:55 PM

You're on the right track blaze. Looking forward to seeing her thrive in your care. Keep the pictures coming!

trailblazer295 · 01-02-16, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

You're on the right track blaze. Looking forward to seeing her thrive in your care. Keep the pictures coming!

Thanks, I'll take some better pics another day. Just trying to leave alone for now, just glance at the tank from a distance. She is in my room to keep her separate from my other snakes. I need to take some decent pics of my other snakes with my DSLR sometime too.

Albert Clark · 01-03-16, 10:03 AM

Cool looking Cal king you have there. I always have a special place in my heart for Kings in general. The respect that they garner for keeping venomous species in check. I recently bagged a Arizona mountain king who I enjoy keeping and will probably breed her in the future. Lol.

trailblazer295 · 01-03-16, 11:09 AM

She spent the night stretched out in the open so think she is settling well. She looks tiny in it.

trailblazer295 · 01-03-16, 09:37 PM

Been stretched out in the open in one place or another all day it seems. Just got home from work and she is out still. I'll try feeding when I feed Banzai in a few days.

bigsnakegirl785 · 01-04-16, 01:29 PM

If she's as comfortable as she is already, she may eat for you. Good luck!

trailblazer295 · 01-04-16, 01:33 PM

She spent the night in the open too. Yesterday she discovered her hot hide. I'll try feeding soon. I'll report the results.

chairman · 01-04-16, 05:26 PM

Don't worry if she doesn't eat, though. Tis the season for kings to go off feeding. My daughter's king is currently rather active, hanging out in the open, etc, but is not interested in food. After not eating for a month I offered a mouse this past weekend and all I got was a defensive strike. I'm not trying again for another month... but not expecting anything until March.

trailblazer295 · 01-04-16, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chairman

Don't worry if she doesn't eat, though. Tis the season for kings to go off feeding. My daughter's king is currently rather active, hanging out in the open, etc, but is not interested in food. After not eating for a month I offered a mouse this past weekend and all I got was a defensive strike. I'm not trying again for another month... but not expecting anything until March.

Don't say that lol I will worry for sure. I want to get a meal or two into her before she goes on a hunger strike. Already have a BP that is more active and visible but also saying now. Going to offer again this week after 6weeks ish of no food.

bigsnakegirl785 · 01-04-16, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trailblazer295

Don't say that lol I will worry for sure. I want to get a meal or two into her before she goes on a hunger strike. Already have a BP that is more active and visible but also saying now. Going to offer again this week after 6weeks ish of no food.

As long as it's warm in there, you shouldn't have to worry.

Even my bad eater, my ball python is still currently eating and we're in the low 20's. Keep things warm and consistent (sometimes even the lighting needs to be the same), and snakes usually eat year round.

chairman · 01-04-16, 08:41 PM

Just depends on the snake. All my snakes are kept in the same room and my pythons and cornsnake are still eating. But hopefully your king will eat for you.

trailblazer295 · 01-04-16, 08:52 PM

My snakes have the same cage heating. Ambient sunlight, the room is a bit cooler because I keep 74-79f in summer and 71f in winter. But the stats are set the same.