King Snake | Care Sheet

Overview

Scientific Name: Lampropeltis spp
Common Name: King Snake
Average Lifespan: 10-15+ Years
Adult Size: 3-6 foot
Origin: North America

Description:

A king snakes head is sometimes hard to spot straight away as their head is small and not distinct from their body. King snakes have a smooth scaled body and come in a variety of colours and patterns. These snakes are constrictors and are usually active around dawn and dusk.

PLEASE NOTE: When buying a king snake they must always be housed alone because they will eat other snakes if given the chance.

Housing:

Glass aquariums / vivarium's are good to use and are a lot easier to clean than a wooden enclosure. Hatchlings can be housed in 10-gallon enclosures like the Snake Starter Kit. Adults can be housed in a 20-30 gallon vivarium however, we recommend a bigger vivarium like a 40-60 gallon tank as this will help keep your snake healthy and from becoming stressed, It will also give you more room for decor and plants etc. A secure lid / door is essential otherwise the snake will escape.

Make sure there is plenty of areas for your snake to hide during the day and climb by providing rocks, logs, and plants would be perfect.

Lighting:

No special lighting is necessary. However, we recommend a 12-hour on 12-hour off system (night / day) with a standard incandescent bulb. Doing so will also help if you wish to breed your king snake.

The 12-hour on 12-hour off process can be done using a timer, a night / day thermostat or just by simply switching the light off and on yourself.

Heating:

Basking Spot Temperature: Basking spot of around 35°C
Daytime Temperature: The ambient temperature of 26.5°C - 29°C - With a cool area of around 24°C

Substrate:

Newspaper, Aspen Bedding, Cypress Bedding and aquarium gravel would be fine for your snake.

Food:

Hatchling King Snakes should be fed frozen and thawed pinkie mice, juvenile and adult king snakes can be fed frozen and thawed adult mice or baby rats. Young Snakes should be fed 1-2 times a week.

When feeding your king snake you don't need to use any supplement however, we recommend using T-Rex Dry Supplements - 2:0 as it will greatly increase the health and life span of your snake, If used when feeding your king snake.

If your snake is due to shed there's a chance that their appetite will decline, don't worry about this as its natural for their appetite to decline around the time of a shed.

Water:

The Water should be kept clean and changed daily. Snakes often defecate in their water, in which case it should be immediately cleaned. A heavy dish several inches in diameter like the Exo Terra Water Dish Large will provide a perfect water source. The reason we recommend a large water dish is because your snake might soak in the dish, before a shed to help with the process.

Maintenance:

It's essential that your snakes enclosure is kept very clean, so your snakes vivarium should be spot checked for feces daily. If you conscientiously spot clean, wood based substrates can be replaced every 2 to 3 weeks. Water bowls should be cleaned and disinfected at least weekly and any uneaten dead food should be removed after 2 - 3 hours.

It is always recommended to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the snake or cleaning the vivarium and vivarium accessories.