snake people

[Kato Aaron]

So i wanted to get a snake and i asked my mim and she wasnt sure about the idea cause shes not a snake person, but she said i could get one. well we went to a pet store today and i showed her the cute little snake i wanted and she said "Oh thats not that bad." in a way that actually said "I could live with that snake, its a little cute." lol
Well I'm going to get a king snake and I was just wondering how to care for it and tips on keeping it happy. I don't want to jump into this with no knowledge and do something wrong or make it unhappy. I want to know everything please :] thank you!

[CodeRed]

Kings are great, but it's almost certain you will get bitten if you go for one (: Don't worry, baby bites don't hurt and eventually he SHOULD grow out of that (I give no affirmatives because Kings are bitey little buggers, and some reports have them being grumpy up until old age, lol) I myself had a King snake for a little bit, but ended up giving him to a friend. I really, really regret that decision. That was the most adorable, evil little snake I've ever seen.

First off, what type of Kingsnake? Most likely you're thinking California Kingsnake, which is by far the most common. There're literally tons of color combinations, do you have any favorites? Also consider Jungle corns (which are California Kingsnakes and Corn snakes mixed. These tend to be a bit tamer because of their cornsnake blood, and can look absolutely stunning if you find the right ones. Plus some look exactly like Kingsnakes, with a calmer personality).
One thing I absolutely suggest you do is GO TO A REPTILE EXPO. Even if you don't pick up your snake there, they will have, by far, much cheaper items. Tanks, hides, substrate, and food will be 10x cheaper there, and you'll be able to meet some great people already involved with the hobby. That, and you'll have such a wide variety to choose from. You might like the little snake in the pet shop, but remember that a lot of times those pet shop snakies can be sick, have mites, might not eat well, and are probably undersocialized. Plus, it's always good to support breeders in the hobby. And.. variety!
The most important thing to think about is research. How big will the species you're looking into grow to? Some Kings can live in 20 gallons for their whole lives, while others might need a 40 gallon breeder when they get bigger. Will their species need hot or cold temps? What size food will they eventually be eating? Do they ever go on fasting breaks without eating? One upside to choosing a kingsnake is they're very popular snakes, and have multiple caresheets littered all over the place. Try finding a Kingsnake oriented forum to answer all of your questions.

Hope I helped some (: As I said before I had a King, so if you've got any questions feel free to ask.


(((SORRY FOR THE ESSAY :DD)))

Edit: Dang it, I forgot some things, LOL. First off, Kings are GREAT eaters. You shouldn't ever have to worry about them being nonfeeders like you might with other things. Second, some species of Kings are diurnal, so it might be nice to consider a place where he can be showed off, since he'll be out roaming around during the day. Who doesn't like to show off their pretties? :) Alright, I think I'm done now :3