Concerned About a Friend's First Pet Snake

[ShenziSixaxis]

Wow, it's been quite a while since I was here. Wish I was here to gloat about a new addition to my collection, but I'm not really in the hobby of keeping snakes anymore (beating myself for not picking up a carpet python at my last Repticon though, so the urge is still there :3 ).

The reason I've popped up is because I'd like some input from others who know how to care for snakes and such. I helped an online friend out with deciding on whether or not a snake would be a good pet for her, and I gave her lots of information on general snake types (pythons, boas, kings vs rats/corns vs milks, etc), but none of that seems to have gone through to her.

Here's a basic summary of her first snake:
Mexican king(?) ;
eats roughly every two weeks at best;
typically only eats live;
male?

Here's a couple of pictures (she's a small gal; just over five foot) :

I'm not entirely sure how he's being housed; I haven't seen any pictures of that.

Now... my concern comes from the fact that she didn't do nearly enough research, and much of what I've told her she's ignored. For instance, I mentioned the 1 week of leaving the animal alone after obtaining it so it could become used to its new home and not be stressed. The same evening she got it she handled him for hours on end. Every day since she's had him she has handled him for hours and hours.

I've noticed her mentioning some personality things about the snake, things you would probably only learn after having an individual for a few weeks at least, like his mood and if he's tired- stuff like that.

Yesterday she fed him. I think her plan was to get some live items for him but she ended up with two frozen fuzzies. I'm not sure how she fed him, but apparently he ate them. Thing is, she fed him yesterday evening, and late this afternoon she said she picked him up to see if he'd digested them and said:
"i picled up [snake name redacted] for a little bit to see if hed digested the fuzzies and hes already so much more relaxed and i caN TELL HES IN A BETTER MOOD AAAAA"

A little while ago she announced that she was handling him again today.

The snake isn't a regular eater, either.

Today is five days she's had him.


I... I'm really lost. I've attempted to get certain things across to her and she's flat out ignored me. She's treating this snake like it's a toy. I'm expecting that one day she's going to pop online with a picture of a regurge asking what that is or announce that he's suddenly died.

What do you guys think?

 

[gsdbecca]

You cam lead a horse to water.....

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

Unfortunately so.

 

[RoseRed]

I'm not sure what to advise if she isn't willing to listen.

 

[WestCoast_Redneck]

If shes an online friend, maybe send her a link to this page?

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

That might work; I'm not entirely sure if she'd take anything to heart though. Do any of you have anything else you could add to what I've already said? And perhaps you could detail what causes regurges, how to treat those, and how serious they are? If I'm going to point out how badly she's treating him I'd also like to have warnings and reasons for this besides my words that seem to be being heard by her as 'well this is how I think snakes are cared for' or something akin to that.

The more the better.

 

[Nythain]

You could try linking her to some of the more horrible situations/stories on here and see if the "THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!" approach helps?

Other than that, if she ain't listening to you (her friend) she sure ain't gonna care much what a bunch of strangers who think they know it all have to say. Seriously though, I'd try searching the forums for certain key words associated with preventable atrocities like "bad shed" "regurge" "escape" etc, find some really bad/sad ones, maybe some that end in death (i know this sounds horrible) and throw em at her. Scared straight!

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

That's also a good idea. Not entirely sure where to start, but I'll give the search feature and google a try. If you have any suggestions, feel free to throw 'em at me.

I know what you mean about the stranger thing. I'm hoping that maybe people who breed snakes (something I never got to do) and have more experience than I (4 years-ish I think it is now?) sharing my thoughts will mean something.

 

[Kokopelli]

This is a Lampropeltis Mexicana Mexicana... San Luis Potosí Kingsnake.
Size sounds about right for an adult... they aren't voracious feeders by definition so... it's not insensible that he isn't a regular feeder(especially if male, especially at this time of year).

Obviously, she's a young girl... there isn't too much that can be done really aside from providing caresheets.

Mood projection is kind of common for children... they project their own moods on the animal... possibly, she's going through something.

 

[MegF.]

I'm a little confused...You said she's had it for 5 days yet she's feeding every 2 weeks a live animal...handling everyday. I have no issues with feeding an adult snake every 2 weeks. That's actually more healthy. Live..no. Handling after feeding...while I don't recommend it, I know people who do. Depends upon the snake. I know some that would stress enough to puke it and others could give a darn. Same with handling when you get it home. I handled my cornsnake for hours when I first got him. Didn't know you shouldn't at the time....but he is a snake who truly doesn't give a darn. He'll eat on the freeway in the middle of an explosion get juggled by 12 clowns the age of 5 and still not get bothered. I have some that wouldn't eat unless you held your mouth just right, had the moon in the right quadrant and prayed to the mouse gods. Do you want people to err on the side of caution when starting out? Yes. Did she maybe just get a laid back snake that tolerates all sorts of handling? Perhaps. Surprising for a king...most of them will crap on you as soon as look at you and when they finish they'll musk on you and then eat your arm. Maybe if she had gotten one of those she wouldn't be so quick to handle him. I always suggest people feed my snakes upon delivery or that night and then allow them the three days to acclimate to their new home after having taken a meal there right away. I've never had an animal refuse and it helps establish eating in the new place right away before shipping shock sets in. Never had a problem doing it this way or having a buyer do it in almost 10 years. Even people who sell me animals that they said were picky will generally take a meal the first night. I don't think she's really NOT taking care of her snake. I do think she got lucky and got a mellow animal that really er...plays the honey badger deal. She might not be so lucky if she gets another. That one might "learn her somethin'" You can only suggest and perhaps see if she wants to join here...care is similar and many of us kept or keep kings as well as corns.

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

No, not exactly that. The pet store she got him from keeps a feeding chart and it shows that he typically eats every 2 weeks. And yes, every two weeks ish the snake eats, which didn't seem right since he was offered every week. It probably didn't/doesn't help that none of us seem to realize that the snake is actually pretty closeish to adult size already because of the species he is.

I do see your point about how things vary with individual snakes and keepers, but... she does want more snakes. And I don't think anyone here wants her to think that what she's doing is okay, or worse, to tell someone that looks up to her that it's okay and give advice that kills someone's first pet snake. The snake in question I'm guessing might be... over a year old but three years at the oldest, perhaps? If he's a species (sub species? let's just go with "dis type o' snake") that's generally smaller then I'm confident in saying that he's probably just older and used to handling and whatnot. I think that makes me feel better, but like I said... don't want her to tell someone who's looking at a baby corn or similar snake that it's okay to do this.

This is a Lampropeltis Mexicana Mexicana... San Luis Potosí Kingsnake.
Size sounds about right for an adult... they aren't voracious feeders by definition so... it's not insensible that he isn't a regular feeder(especially if male, especially at this time of year).

Obviously, she's a young girl... there isn't too much that can be done really aside from providing caresheets.

Mood projection is kind of common for children... they project their own moods on the animal... possibly, she's going through something.

...
Wh
OH
WELL THEN
I think... that's important I tell her that he's not exactly what she thinks he is. Wow. Hell, I learned something here.
(but then again I'm not good with IDing kings)

She is young, but she's not... a child, exactly, I want to say? She's young and excitable but she's my age ish (she's 16 but turns 17 in less than a month), though she does have ADHD/ADD. You're definitely right about the mood thing, though. I do agree that snakes tend to have certain 'moods,' but it's not something you're going to pick up in a few hours.

She's not 100% sure on the sex, though. I don't think it matters entirely, either, since he's a pet. That may definitely be a variable in his "sporadic" feeding, though.

 

[MegF.]

I didn't say that it was right or that she should think it is. Some of the practices are not a problem at all. Feeding every two weeks is not a problem...even for a sub adult. We overfeed our domestic snakes...mostly why people say they never see their cornsnakes. I see mine all the time as they are out doing what snakes would normally do in the wild...hunting. Does it make them aggressive when you handle them? No. My cornsnake is as docile as the next guys. As for feeding after eating...if she is in fact handling a lot and not just checking on him, no, that's probably not a good idea. there will be snakes that don't tolerate it. Have I had baby corns in my numerous clutches that would tolerate all she does..absolutely...most of them in fact. However, I think it's always best to give a snake time to digest properly without harrassment....no one likes someone bugging them while THEY eat. Learning the proper practices that work for MOST snakes is better than only practicing things that will work on a few. It's all part of proper care of any animal.

 

[Nythain]

Heh, totally had this huge re-cap of the thread so far, with all points of view noted, typed up but all I really have to throw out there would be these words...

At this point, you could probably just link her to this thread specifically and hear all the pros and cons brought about just between the experienced keepers and breeders (conversation has sort of evolved beyond just discussing the friend, into a general husbandry conversation between pros) and hopefully she'd walk away at least a little educated.

At least she didn't think the poor snakes warm spot had to be 120F with a heat rock and 10% humidity because it has Mexican in the name! Though, at this point I am rather curious to see/hear about the snakes current enclosure size, decorations, and heating (methods, temps, and regulation).

I really hope the friend absorbs some or all of any advice offered up by other keepers, and I really hope she has a long lasting relationship with her new snakey!

 

[Kokopelli]

Lampropeltis Mexicana Mexicana does sound like "Mexican Kingsnake"... and the region is somewhat true to that description. Mexico is kind of huge though, I simply narrowed it down to the exact sub-species, which hints at the actual natural range

At any rate, I am with Meg, I don't think there's an overwhelming cause for alarm... this sub-species is puppy tame, and as adults, well, they are not as likely to be too stressed out and regurgitate... he's not a baby.