I just got a California King Snake from my cousin, he is 5 years old, and I'm wondering about a lot of things. First of all, should I be handling him while he is getting used to his new surroundings, he is in the same enclosure that he had before, and I set it up exactly the same so that the shock would be minimal. Also, should I hold off on feeding him for about a week or so till he is more comfy with the change? One more thing for now, is it okay to use sand for the enclosure lining? If anyone can answer these questions for me, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Mandi
Keep the handling to a minimum and wait to feed for about a week. Even though the cage is the same the surroundings and smells are not, so the snake will still need some time to adjust. For substrate you are best off with aspen, newpaper, or cage carpet. Rocks, sand, and gravel are hard to clean and do not hold humidity well.
Thank you very much. I went to the pet store today, and they said that sand is just fine, and that milks, corns, and kings don't need any extra humidity, Is this true?
From what I have been told by a lot of breeders...they dont need extra humidity or heat lamps. Good luck with your new baby!!!
The extra humidity part is correct.... 50-55% at a minimum. Sand is not a good choice though.... go with a mulch or paper
I have a funny feeling that there is nothing in stone that says that you have to have it one way or the other i think it just depends on how the snake acts.
there isn't one right answer...but plenty of wrong ones. i'd agree with stormy on this one...no sand. we have used the 'fake' desert sand that is made from crushed walnut shells. much safer, easier to clean. but it doesn't hold humidity. when they are shedding you really need to supplement the humidity. also, no they don't need a heat lamp, but that's only if your home's temp stays above 75 most of the time. and seeing as you're in canada, i'm gonna say it's not. so i'd use heat lamp.
The crushed walnut shell can be especially dangerous if you feed in the cage, which you shouldn't do anyways. It has sharp edges and can do SEVERE damage to internal organs.
The walnut shell we use is rounded and doesn't have sharp edges. Are there different kinds? But you're right, feeding in the case with ANY kind of loose bedding is bad.
He eats in a separate cage that is in the basement. But I think I will get him some of that aspen to line his enclosure in, right now I have that reptile atro-turf. The guy at the pet store said to get rid of it as soon as possible because it is a bacteria breeding ground, I washed, but he said even washing it just gets the surface grime, not the deep down stuff. Oh my gawd, we just got back again from the pet store and there was the most beautiful Lavender Cal King, he was just a baby, and was so tiny compared to mine. I want him, and I think I might get him.
Biochic, The walnut shell that we came across looked great. It came in a bunch of different colors, but it was very jagged. It hurt to roll around between your fingers. Even worse was the fact that any liquids that did not clump up seemed to filter through it and accumulate at the bottom under the substrate.
I agree about the liquids, walnut shell won't clump hardly at all and if it does it breaks apart easily. I've never seen it in different colors. The only kind we've seen and used is the natural color of the walnut shell itself. It doesn't feel very sharp to me. But I would think that it would still be safer if digested because it doesn't clump, is digestible, and most sands are silicates and although they don't feel as coarse, are microscopically more jagged and could cause worse intestinal abrasions than the shells. But I don't know that for certain. One thing I do know, I wouldn't use either in a feeding enclosure, especially with F/T prey. Nasty. Oh and Mandi, you're dangerously close to becoming as crazy as the rest of us! LOL!
Ya, I think I'm addicted, I've always wanted a snake, but I was never able able to get one until I moved into my own place, but now that I have one, I want more. My King is such a baby, he is full frown... I think, and from what the vet says, he is big for hid type, he is 4.5 feet long, and about 2 inches thick. But the little baby lavender was a big baby too, and I couldn't believe that mine was once like that, I missed him growing which is too bad, and I think that is the biggest reason I want a little guy, to watch him grow as big as my Lokki. I was also told that if I do get another snake, that I could use the same feeding tank as the other one (not at the same time, I know) Is this correct, or will the smell of the other snake make him not eat????
Corns r like tattos...when u get one u want another. I had to stop at 3. I use the same feeding tank for all my girls(not at the same time) they dont seem to care...just as long as there is food to eat!!!
Yeah, you can use the same feeding tank. But I would clean it with a mild disinfectant in between animals, especially with a new arrival. That way if one contracts something, it won't give it to another.
