# What do you think of California king snakes? Do they make good pets?



## Tarantuloid (Apr 1, 2013)

After a couple of months venturing through many snake choices, I decided that I would only look for snakes that are being disowned rather than buying one from a local petstore chain. 

I recently met a nearby family that is disowning their California King Snake, in which they originally bought for their kids along with a Bearded Dragon. Due tot he fact the parents are now stuck with taking care of them, the California King Snake is getting kicked out of their household. I decided to ask them if they would consider selling the snake to me, and they would like to me the snake complete with his enclosure and heating materials for 65 dollars. 


Much like that Ratsnake I found last week, I heard these California King snakes can be pretty ill tempered and don't like being handled much. I asked a few reptile owners I know and it's been kinda half and half. Some say that they are not for being handled (similar to a tarantula), while others have said that they begin nippy and defensive, but slowly calm down as they become accustomed to you handling them.

What do you think?


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

Cali kings aren't that ill-tempered from what I know, I've handled a few here and there and they were docile enough. Never heard anything bad about them. But, then again, each snake has their own nature. What you stated is true, the more you handle it when it, the more it will get used it. But, I don't think it would be too bad if it is at all. Maybe you're thinking of a Brooks?

Cali kings are great snake for a beginner tho.


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## AshleyM (Apr 1, 2013)

My brother has one and it's very calm. His green tree pythons on the other hand are mean as FFFFF


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

Here's a care sheet if you need any help along the way:
http://www.vmsherp.com/CarePages/CareCalKing.htm


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 1, 2013)

That's great to know! I remember taking care of a few back when I worked for a pet store and they reminded me of a corn snake in terms of maintenance. However, I haven't actually owned one yet, I've had corn snakes though.

Yeah the father's post regarding getting rid of his California King snake said that it's not a beginner, yet I see some care sheets saying that it;s a great snake for beginners. I heard they were a little more aggressive or nervous than corn snakes or ball pythons, and aren't good for handling around friends. Is this also false?


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

I'm guessing the father doesn't have much experience with other snakes then. It's a great snake! They're not really more aggressive than either of those two species, but like I said before, depends on the snake's nature itself. They're a great species to bring around kids for them to learn more about, I've had some friends bring them to local schools to teach kids about them so they're good for handling imo, as long as you do it right.

What kind of setup did he give you if I may ask?


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## JohnDapiaoen (Apr 1, 2013)

As someone who encounters them frequently in the wild, I can say they are the chillest snakes found in california. I've kept many morphs as pets and they are perfect for getting into herps. On a side note having them around keep the rattlers away lol.


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 1, 2013)

That's a relief, I was hoping this species would be a good choice for a snake. I was suppose to adopt this orange corn snake, but the owner is too busy to meet up with me or let me come to pick it up.

I found that family disowning their California king snake due to the children's loss of interest and I figured maybe I could work something out. Here's a few images of the set up that's coming with the snake, including the tank, heating mat, and decoration (haha)


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

Tarantuloid said:


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Where's the hide for it? Snakes tend to be happier when given a hide, especially in a tank. I would also go buy a thermostat just because heat mats aren't the best for heating a snake. It's ideal temp 80 at one end and 90 on the other, but don't let anything drop below 76. Fahrenheit of course.


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## pa3k_87 (Apr 1, 2013)

I would say they have their days sometimes. I adopted a Cali king from a rescue before because his owners gave him up because he would just try and eat anything! First time a handled him from the rescue, he tried to eat my finger. Didn't care though so I brought him home. I wore gloves everytime I take him out because he just latches on and starts to swallow whatever he gets his teeth into. It went on for about 1 year and a half and he kinda mellowed down due to constant handling (at least 3 times a week). I don't use gloves anymore whenever I take him out and he only bit me like twice since then. This time he would let go after a few seconds though. He probably realized he can't eat my hand anyway. There are days where I completely trust him to dangle and crawl around my neck but most of the time it would just be around my arm or leg. I always keep watch of his head though, in case he gets in the mood of trying to eat me again. Lol!


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 1, 2013)

theReptileGuy said:


> Where's the hide for it? Snakes tend to be happier when given a hide, especially in a tank. I would also go buy a thermostat just because heat mats aren't the best for heating a snake. It's ideal temp 80 at one end and 90 on the other, but don't let anything drop below 76. Fahrenheit of course.


Keep in mind that this is where he is currently living, but he is not yet in my possession. It could be why he might be aggressive, maybe feeling vulnerable with no place to hide?


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

Tarantuloid said:


> Keep in mind that this is where he is currently living, but he is not yet in my possession. It could be why he might be aggressive, maybe feeling vulnerable with no place to hide?


That's true, I apologize. I didn't mean to sound aggressive in the least that's just how I type ._.
That could be a reason, that and his temp that he is kept.


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 1, 2013)

theReptileGuy said:


> That's true, I apologize. I didn't mean to sound aggressive in the least that's just how I type ._.
> That could be a reason, that and his temp that he is kept.


Haha no problem! I didn't take it as an insult, it's actually a good point. Those were just the images they sent me, I'm going to see the snake tomorrow hopefully and see how his temperament is and more of the details.


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

Tarantuloid said:


> Haha no problem! I didn't take it as an insult, it's actually a good point. Those were just the images they sent me, I'm going to see the snake tomorrow hopefully and see how his temperament is and more of the details.


Haha. That's good! And remember, sometimes a snake can change it's mood and temperament when handled regularly!


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 1, 2013)

theReptileGuy said:


> Haha. That's good! And remember, sometimes a snake can change it's mood and temperament when handled regularly!


I guess I'll see if I can pick him up, whether these snakes are a common species or not, they look really neat!

Haha yeah, I mean it's good that when you see images of an animal, you are well aware of details like that. Imagine if someone kept him like that and never knew they needed a hiding place until you pointed it out. It helps sometimes!


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

Tarantuloid said:


> I guess I'll see if I can pick him up, whether these snakes are a common species or not, they look really neat!
> 
> Haha yeah, I mean it's good that when you see images of an animal, you are well aware of details like that. Imagine if someone kept him like that and never knew they needed a hiding place until you pointed it out. It helps sometimes!


They do! I'm not really big into colubrids, but the Cali King has to be one of my favorites of them.

It does! Make sure to update tmrw so I can see how it goes! Haha


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 1, 2013)

theReptileGuy said:


> They do! I'm not really big into colubrids, but the Cali King has to be one of my favorites of them.
> 
> It does! Make sure to update tmrw so I can see how it goes! Haha


Yeah I'm hoping this deal turns out good, it's so close to my house that it's hard to pass up. I almost adopted this rat snake last weekend, but someone beat me to it D:


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

Tarantuloid said:


> Yeah I'm hoping this deal turns out good, it's so close to my house that it's hard to pass up. I almost adopted this rat snake last weekend, but someone beat me to it D:


That's a shame, but there are always offerings on CL. And if you buy regular morphs of the snake, they aren't that expensive. Especially at reptile expos.


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 1, 2013)

theReptileGuy said:


> That's a shame, but there are always offerings on CL. And if you buy regular morphs of the snake, they aren't that expensive. Especially at reptile expos.


yeah you can get some neat deals, I heard some of them sell ball pythons for 30 dollars.


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## antinous (Apr 1, 2013)

Tarantuloid said:


> yeah you can get some neat deals, I heard some of them sell ball pythons for 30 dollars.


Normal ball pythons can range from anywhere from $25-30 since breeders are sometimes trying to get rid of the excess amount they have.


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## pouchedrat (Apr 1, 2013)

I have a 3+ foot female, and a smaller juvenile male california king.  They're really awesome snakes, one of my favorites!   A while back I was rehoming some of my snake collection, deciding to just stick to my breeding western hogs, but I couldn't part with my cali kings, no matter what.  I think it's just the dramatic black with white, and the ease of care, and they're much like a corn snake.   My girl WILL have her moments when it's feeding time, she tends to jump out of the feeding tub at the tongs as soon as she smells it.  Quite the aggressive eater, lol.   Otherwise, she's calm and even my 7 year old can handle her fine.  The male? completely docile, but he's also young.


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## bchbum11 (Apr 2, 2013)

They are great snakes, but slightly more unpredictable than a corn. I've been bitten my mine more than any snake in my collection, but most of the bites were from females in lay cycle that were just hungry. Even if one does bite it can't cause much damage. They'll hold on for awhile, but have relatively small teeth. It's honestly more cute than painful. They're beautiful, curious and interactive. I agree with pouchedrat... out of the several species I keep, the cali kings would be among the last to go if I had to choose.


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 2, 2013)

pouchedrat said:


> I have a 3+ foot female, and a smaller juvenile male california king.  They're really awesome snakes, one of my favorites!   A while back I was rehoming some of my snake collection, deciding to just stick to my breeding western hogs, but I couldn't part with my cali kings, no matter what.  I think it's just the dramatic black with white, and the ease of care, and they're much like a corn snake.   My girl WILL have her moments when it's feeding time, she tends to jump out of the feeding tub at the tongs as soon as she smells it.  Quite the aggressive eater, lol.   Otherwise, she's calm and even my 7 year old can handle her fine.  The male? completely docile, but he's also young.


You have Western Hogs too? Those are such awesome snakes! If they were't so expensive I'd consider getting one myself haha. Thats good to know about the California King being a laid back species, especially considering my last snake choice was almost a rat snake. Yeah that dramatic black and white makes them look so neat, I don't think I've seen them around here despite their status as a common reptile species.

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bchbum11 said:


> They are great snakes, but slightly more unpredictable than a corn. I've been bitten my mine more than any snake in my collection, but most of the bites were from females in lay cycle that were just hungry. Even if one does bite it can't cause much damage. They'll hold on for awhile, but have relatively small teeth. It's honestly more cute than painful. They're beautiful, curious and interactive. I agree with pouchedrat... out of the several species I keep, the cali kings would be among the last to go if I had to choose.


That's interesting to know as well, how long do they bite for once they got your hand? Another thing I'd like to ask is why do you favor California King Snakes in your collection? Usually, I find breeders and snake owners getting bored with the "common" species of reptiles, the California King I hear is pretty common, but great looking snakes.


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## Greenjewls (Apr 2, 2013)

California Kings are great pets.  Most of the ones I encounter in the wild are as docile and tame as ones that are used to handling.  I've never seen one strike at anyone who wasn't dangling food in front of it. They are great eaters, loving mammals, lizards, and yes they not only eat rattlers but seem to prefer them over anything else.  The easiest way I've found to locate Cal Kings is to leave a dead rattlesnake in the yard, inevitably a king shows up and eats it, even if it has been dead over 24 hours. They will eat a rattler that is the same length as the king. They breed readily and are pretty easy raising from egg to adult.  The one in the picture is really nice, they don't always have bright white and jet black, I've seen them chocolate brown with yellow stripe down the spine and I've also seen them 90% black and 10% white.  I've seen them up to 6' long as well.


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 5, 2013)

Greenjewls said:


> California Kings are great pets.  Most of the ones I encounter in the wild are as docile and tame as ones that are used to handling.  I've never seen one strike at anyone who wasn't dangling food in front of it. They are great eaters, loving mammals, lizards, and yes they not only eat rattlers but seem to prefer them over anything else.  The easiest way I've found to locate Cal Kings is to leave a dead rattlesnake in the yard, inevitably a king shows up and eats it, even if it has been dead over 24 hours. They will eat a rattler that is the same length as the king. They breed readily and are pretty easy raising from egg to adult.  The one in the picture is really nice, they don't always have bright white and jet black, I've seen them chocolate brown with yellow stripe down the spine and I've also seen them 90% black and 10% white.  I've seen them up to 6' long as well.


Thanks for the information, it was incredibly accurate. Ironically, my cali kingsnake bit me the first day I brought him home (although it was extremely minor) but it was my own fault. He came with a rather unexciting set up so I decided to give him a place to hide and he didn't care for me trespassing that close.

I let him settle in for two days without handling and now, he is the nicest snake ever! Very gorgeous to look at overall, most of my family absolutely hates and fears snakes, but even they admitted he was a beautiful reptile haha. 

I wasn't sure when the last time he was fed, so I tried feeding him for the first time and he won't eat. Any tips?


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## bchbum11 (Apr 6, 2013)

Let him settle in for a few more days, and find out what was working for the previous owners. What did you try to feed him (assuming a mouse, but f/t or live)?


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 6, 2013)

bchbum11 said:


> Let him settle in for a few more days, and find out what was working for the previous owners. What did you try to feed him (assuming a mouse, but f/t or live)?


I asked a size recommendation for a 2-3 ft california kingsnake and the store gave me a small rat. I know snakes can ingest larger prey, but after opening the package, it seems like it's way too big. They said that california kingsnakes can easily eat a small rat, which might be true, but he's avoided it all day and all night.

What should I do with the uneaten rat?

EDIT: I contacted the owner and he said he fed him about two weeks ago so feeding should be right on schedule.


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## bchbum11 (Apr 7, 2013)

Dispose of the rat, even if you have something else you're tempted to feed it to. Bacteria buildup from being room temp for however long and the fact that it was in an enclosure with a snake that hasn't passed a quarantine period pretty much make it unfeedable to any other animal. If it looked too big to you, it may have looked too big to the snake also. Large cali kings will eat rats, but I don't see any reason to feed them. People try to switch boas/pythons over because 1 large rat is more cost effective than 3-4 large mice. On a 1 for 1 basis though mice are much cheaper, and even a good sized cali king can get by with 1 large mouse per feeding. I feed mine once a week btw. They have fairly high metabolisms compared to many snakes, and feeding every other week is probably not offering enough food. Especially at 2-3', when the snake is likely still a growing juvenile. Edit after reading the other thread running with this one. Aviara is right. 2 weeks isn't a long time to go without a meal when trying to switch to f/t, or when centered around a move. Once established and eating however, a twice a month feeding schedule would be on the lean side for these.


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 7, 2013)

bchbum11 said:


> Dispose of the rat, even if you have something else you're tempted to feed it to. Bacteria buildup from being room temp for however long and the fact that it was in an enclosure with a snake that hasn't passed a quarantine period pretty much make it unfeedable to any other animal. If it looked too big to you, it may have looked too big to the snake also. Large cali kings will eat rats, but I don't see any reason to feed them. People try to switch boas/pythons over because 1 large rat is more cost effective than 3-4 large mice. On a 1 for 1 basis though mice are much cheaper, and even a good sized cali king can get by with 1 large mouse per feeding. I feed mine once a week btw. They have fairly high metabolisms compared to many snakes, and feeding every other week is probably not offering enough food. Especially at 2-3', when the snake is likely still a growing juvenile. Edit after reading the other thread running with this one. Aviara is right. 2 weeks isn't a long time to go without a meal when trying to switch to f/t, or when centered around a move. Once established and eating however, a twice a month feeding schedule would be on the lean side for these.


Don't worry, I disposed of the rat yesterday. Yeah I agree, I'm sure the rats are more cost effective and have more nutrients, but the overall size felt a little overwhelming compared to this cali king I have. So you think I should be feeding him every week in contrast to every other week?


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## bchbum11 (Apr 8, 2013)

Yeah, twice a month isn't enough food for king/milk snakes imo.


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## Tarantuloid (Apr 8, 2013)

bchbum11 said:


> Yeah, twice a month isn't enough food for king/milk snakes imo.


I'm happy to announce that I finally got him to eat this morning haha.


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