My Cal King is about 16 months old and eating off fuzzies. I am about to move her on to small mice because she is getting big. I have a couple questions, though.

I am feeding her 1 fuzzy once a week. Is this ok?

How much should I feed her when she graduates to small mice? How often?

Once a week is a good regiment. AS long as she is digesting her food and not getting obese, continue the plan! Sounds like you are doing it right so far! :cheers:

Got any pics of the little lady?

At this young age kings need to eat a lot to grow properly. Depending on the size of the fuzzy I would feed two twice a week. With small mice maybe one twice a week. If the king refuses then you can back off. A king generally will have a healthy appetite.

Dan

I will agree with Dan. At over a year, one small mouse twice a week will do it good. I'd avoid overfeeding, you don't want a fat snake, just a healthy growing one.

Thanks guys!

Once a week is a good regiment. AS long as she is digesting her food and not getting obese, continue the plan! Sounds like you are doing it right so far! :cheers:

Got any pics of the little lady?

http://www.jkherp.com/king-snakes1.html

Does she look healthy?

she looks nice and healthy and she is a beauty! Congrats!

Looking at the pic, and going by how old it is (16 months), I have to totally agree with Dan on this. The king could EASILY be eating a couple of those per feeding twice a week, as it's neck is not stretched in the least eating that fuzzy. Optimumly in my opinion, by that age it should be eating hoppers at the very least, and some could even take weanling mice actually. When kings are young, they really do have the capacity and natural metabolism to grow like wildfire if their husbandry needs are well met, and they put all their food item calories towards growing in a rather big way.

Among many other things, I also have several types of kingsnakes here, and have also raised and bred lots of these over the many years. My yearling floridana I have here right now have been eating decent sized weanlings for a good while now too. Even the slower growing two year old Outer Banks kings are pounding down good sized adult mice and are about the diameter of at least half dollars.

Don't get me wrong though, I am a very strong advocate for not having snakes get obese either with stretched out skin between ever single scale, and this goes double for a female that is strictly a pet, and not being prepared to breed and become gravid. Obesity in colubrids is very taxing on their organs, just as it is with any animal, and it is much healthier as others here have stated for the snake to be healthy and not over-fed.

I feed my snakes on an individual need basis, depending on what my breeding plans might be. For example, when they get older, there is no real need to have males getting quite as girthy for their length as females that are being prepared for breeding and becoming gravid in the spring.

In any case, your king could easily go up a notch with it's feeding regimen, and young ones can be fed two of whatever they can possibly fit down their tiny heads to be honest. Only as they get older does it become necessary to watch their calories so they don't eat too much, but right now that isn't an issue at all with yours.

Good luck with it, that is a nice looking Cal. king! :yes:


~Doug

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/DMong_bucket/IMG_0034-1.jpg

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http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/DMong_bucket/aberrOBK.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/DMong_bucket/50-50CalKing2.jpg

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http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/DMong_bucket/IMG_0056.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/DMong_bucket/IMG_0029.jpg

Thanks