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Posted by electricbluescat on April 29, 2003 at 20:12:29:

In Reply to: New to the Forum posted by jusmebabe on April 29, 2003 at 12:03:19:

::Hey everyone,

::My name is Mark and I have never posted before, although I subscribe to the Uromastyx mailing list. I have had a California Kingsnake (I believe some would call it a banana) for about a year now. And here's the thing: I've read about ten different care sheets, and they all seem to be over-the-top. Here's what I mean:

::They make a big deal out of temperature
::- but I provide no heat source, and she seems to thrive in room temperature
::- it's gone down to 45 degrees inside my apartment this winter without a problem (except the feeder mouse froze to death, lol)
::They stress feeding dead prey of size 1.5X snake girth max
::- I have fed mine live prey, and she's never been bitten
::- She's eaten prey twice her girth
::- She's even eaten while in the shedding process
::They say to avoid crowds and the smell of prey on your hands
::- I have handled her without incident among crowds many times
::- I have handled her immediately after handling my Uro (lizards) without incident

::I keep her on T-Rex gravel and if some gets in her mouth, she just spits it out. So are these care sheets a little too cautious? Are Kingsnakes just very hardy? Or do I just have the greatest snake of all time, who needs virtually no care?

::I am making some changes anyway,
::Mark

:Keep feeding live prey. I look foreward to your next post asking "Should i take my snake to the vet a mouse bit him".
:Just because he survives on rocks doesn't mean he likes it.
:Second post "My snake swallowed a rock and now he's lathargic what should i do"?
:He may be ok for now but doesn't mean he doesn't need heat. Reptiles live through alot of crap that we as keepers put them through. 3rd post "My snake has a respitory problem what could have caused this should i take him to the vet"?
: Holding a kingsnake with the smell of mouse on your hands is not wise but keep doing it heck why not. I have a friend with a 11 foot retic i'd like you to try holding with the smell of rat on you lol..

:People can survive under the conditions you described but i bet it would be a grumpy, cold and, uncomfortable pperson.. I just hope you have money for a vet when you have a problem cause soon enough you will...
:

You need to get a heats pad for him! and i recommend it soon esp if your not hibernating him and your room temp is at 55 in the winter your just asking for problems by feeding him. dont be surprised if you wake up 1 winter mourning and he is dead
i really am surprised he has lasted thing esp when feeding him in those cool temperatures

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