How do you look after your pet snake which is a albino californian king snake?

Answer 1

I have an albino California kingsnake, and they make awesome pets. They are fairly easy to caree for. For complete care information, talk to a reptile/snake breeder. I do not advise asking questions at a major pet store, like Petsmart or Petco, as the workers there aren't as competent as they should be. Here is just some basic information on how to care for an albino California kingsnake, or any kingsnake for that matter:

Cage/Enclosure-if it is a baby, it should be fine in a 10 gallon tank to start off with. As it grows larger, move on up to a 20-40 gallon tank. Do not go any larger than that, as snakes like confined spaces because it makes them feel secure and overly large tanks can stress them out. Full grown, a kingsnake is between 3 and 5 feet long, and the general rule of thumb in cage size is that the length of the cage should be around two-thirds the length of the snake when stretched out. Make sure to buy some kind of clips to hold down the lid, as kingsnakes are notorious escape artists. Give the snake at least one hiding place where they can go to feel safe. 2 is actually much more prefereable, one on the warm side and one on the cold, if possible. Decorate the tank with anything else you want: decorative plants(i don't advise using real ones), a flat basking rock, a branch to climb on, etc. Make sure that anything you place in the tank is not sitting on top of the substrate, though, because if the snake burrows underneath the object it could collapse on top of the snake and injure it. I have not ever had this happen to me personally but i have had it happen to friends, and being safe is better than trying to find a vet that probably wont be able to heal your snake!

Substrate-for all snakes i recommend using aspen shavings for the substrate, as some snakes(such as kingsnakes) may like to burrow and aspen shavings are soft and easy for the snake to make tunnels with. I DO NOT recommend sand, as it can get stuck under the scales of snake's skin and cause health problems. Kingsnakes aren't on sand in nature, anyways. DO NOT use certain wood chips, such as pine(i beieve cedar is another to avoid) as some wood shavings have chemicals poisonous to reptiles and some pet rodents such as guinea pigs. Give the snake about 2 inches of substrate to burrow in.

Heating/Water-Your tank should have a cool side(70-75 degrees) and a warm side(80-85 degrees) so the snake can control its own body temp when necessary. The heat source(s) should be on one side, the water bowl on the other. Make sure not to put the water under/near the heat sources, as many snakes like to cool down by soaking in their water dishes. The easiest way to monitor the cage's temp is to use a thermometer. Reptile thermometers are cheap and can be found at almost any pet store. The water crock/dish/etc should not be too large, as the snake could drown in it while soaking. Do not make it too small, however, or the snake will not be able to soak, which can be very important when shedding. Water needs to be changed every day.

Food-as a baby/yearling, a kingsnake should be eating pinkies, no more than once or twice a week. Remember: snakes can be overfed too, and their stomachs can rupture, because they only eat about once or twice a week. Even if the snake is willing to eat it, DO NOT give it more than that. As the snake grows larger(which is a very slow process, trust me), you will need to move it on up to larger food. Get a snake that is already used to being fed frozen mice. Live mice can damage or even kill a snake, even when the snake is in the process of eating it, as the mouse can bite the snake from inside its mouth. This is unlikely of happening, but it is not worth the risk. Please, DO NOT BUY A SNAKE THAT EATS LIVE FOOD ONLY!!! Some snakes are very picky, and may not be willing to ever switch over from live to frozen. Feeder mice can be bought at almost any pet store as well.

Handling-all pet snakes should be handled several times a weeek so they do not develop an "attitude". A bite from even an adult kingsnake is not very painful, but it still is annoying to have your pet snake biting you every time you try to handle it if it is not used to you. ***DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, handle your snake within 48 hours of it eating a meal!!!*** The snake may vomit its food on you, which is not fun to clean up :( ! A snake is much more likely to do this to you if it is a baby and/or it is not used to you handling it. The vomiting of food is also not good for the snake's health. I do not know for sure, but i have heard that snakes do this because in the wild, if they are attacked by a predator soon after eating, they will regurgitate their food in order to escape more quickly. I don't know if that is true, but what IS true is that the snake may puke on you if handled too soon after eating. Also, snakes will probably become more nippy if they a) are close to, or are in the process of, shedding or b) are hungry and/or it is close to their feeding day. You can tell if a snake is about to shed because its eyes turn a milky, off-blue/gray color.

I hope this helps and you enjoy your new albino California kingsnake!