I need help on King Snake care!?

Question

ME AND MY MOM HAVE BOUGHT MY DAD A GIFT...WHILE THE GIFT IS A BABY KING SNAKE..MY Q IS:
1.HOW CAN U TELL IF IT IS A BOY OR GIRL?
2.I AM ONLY KEEPING IT HERE FOR 5 DAYS THEN IT IS GOING TO MY DADS...SO DO I NEED TO HANDLE IT?
3.IS THERE ANYTHING IN PACIFIC I NEED TO DO WITH IT THESE 5 DAYS????

Answer 1

Okay
1) you have to "probe" the snake to check the gender. Get a kit or go to a pet shop for that.

2) Yeah I would handle it so it gets used to that right away.

3) You need to feed it if it hasn't been fed yet from where you got it. If it's been more than a week or at least a week feed it a small pinky.

Hope this helps.

Good luck!

Answer 2

1) Don't buy a kit. Have someone experienced probe your new baby to find out. Go to the local pet store that sells snakes. Beware: If you do try, or if someone inexperienced tries, you could permanently disfigure it.

2) You MUST handle your new baby snakes for about 10-15 minutes each day to get it used to you. If you wait too long, they are much harder to tame. Increase handle times as necessary until your snake is used to you. Never pinch it. Never dangle it. Never EVER EVER drop it. Your best bet is to hold your hand in the bottom of the tank and eventually it will come check you out. If it doesn't think you're a threat, it will crawl into your hand.

3) Feed the poor thing a pinky or two. I recommend frozen since the bigger live mice can injure your snake. Thaw it in lukewarm water for about 20 minutes (or until thawed). Some snakes will only eat live as babies. That's fine. But live adult mice can hurt or even kill your snake.

I'm very excited to hear that you have a new kingsnake. They are (in my opinion) the best snakes to own and make phenomenal pets. Good luck!

Answer 3

Snakes need about a week to settle into their new homes, and shouldn't be handled during this time. Hopefully you've got it in at least a 10 gallon tank, aspen substrate, under tank heater, hiding caves, water bowl, frozen pinkie/mice depending on size and age of snake, etc. Don't attempt to feed it during this time. Take it to a reptile vet for probing--you could injure it doing it yourself or taking it to someone inexperienced. Here is a good website for care and further info:
http://www.kingsnake.com/rockymountain/RMHPages/RMHkingsand.htm