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Feeding Kingsnakes & Milksnakes
All snakes are carnivores; they eat only other animals. Baby kingsnakes do best on a diet of pinky mice, generally one or two pinky mice once a week. As the snake grows, so should its prey. A general rule of thumb is to feed a snake a food item that is as large, or slightly larger, than the diameter of the snake at its widest point (excluding the head). Kingsnakes and milksnakes, specifically the California kingsnake, will often eat other snakes of the same size if given the opportunity, so it is best to house each snake individually to avoid this problem. In fact, rattlesnakes make up a significant part of the diet of wild California kingsnakes! When purchasing a new snake, it is very important to purchase only baby snakes that have eaten unaltered domestic pinky mice at least once but preferably more. Reputable breeders do not sell baby snakes that have not eaten (unless they tell you so) and will often provide you with a record of the baby snake?s feedings (at herp shows this is often written on the bottom of the for sale container). This is especially important with the "problem feeding" species such as the grey-banded kingsnake, whose babies are notoriously difficult to get feeding on pinky mice. Make sure you check this before you buy!!
In our opinion, it is best to feed freshly killed or frozen prey that has been thawed. The reason for this recommendation is that dead mice don?t bite! If a live mouse is left in a cage with a snake that is not hungry, it can cause significant harm to the snake by chewing on it. If you must feed live, make sure to watch and make sure the snake eats, don?t drop the prey in and leave. Most pet stores carry feeder mice, but if you have more than a few snakes, it is much more economical to either raise your own rodents or buy them mail order. There are many people who raise feeder rodents and advertise in the classifieds section of the major reptile trade magazines. Occasionally, a snake may refuse to feed. Food refusal is caused by a number of things such as incorrect environmental conditions, a shed phase, pregnancy, or illness.