# cali king viv size



## sedman62 (Feb 24, 2008)

hey there i have a cali but shes not been eating for like 8 weeks since i got her ive tryed most methods of braining warming up ect ect im just wondering if the viv she is in is too big or if anyone can see any other problems










thanks nick


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## Matteh (Apr 6, 2008)

She might be starving herself to eat you! Watch out, if she straightens herself out and lies next to you, you'd better run!!

No I'm only joking, don't worry about it.

The viv doesn't look too big. Have you checked the temperatures and such?


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## sedman62 (Feb 24, 2008)

yea i checked the temps there fine


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

Hey Nick, the viv doesn't look too big, what light do you have in there? And whats the substrate shes on?


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## sedman62 (Feb 24, 2008)

its just a normal viewing light i dont put it on much and the substrate is wood shavings that you get in the pet shop


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## ratking (Mar 4, 2008)

wat u useing for heat then mate if ur light is just for veiwing i dont see any thermostats heat bulbs temp gauges not pickin faults mate just trying to get to the bottom of it when u say wood shavings u dont meen wat ud use for a hamster etc is it


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

Do you mean shavings, like for a rabbit, or chips??
She didn't have a light with us, just daylight through the window. She may not like having the light, try a lower wattage if you want to use one at all, and put it on a timer so its regular. Irregular lighting may put her off, and may make the temps fluctuate. You can get a timer from tesco for less than a fiver i think.


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## sedman62 (Feb 24, 2008)

i use a heat mat and the light isnt on often enough for it to cause any problems i only turn it on for 10 mins every now and then to look in and spot check


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

What sort of shavings??? Shavings or chips?


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## sedman62 (Feb 24, 2008)

shavings


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## ratking (Mar 4, 2008)

wat temps is it in the viv mate


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

If its shavings from the pet shop they are pine and toxic.... you need to get her off them straight away, use either beech chippings or aspen, or paper until then.


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## ratking (Mar 4, 2008)

Start out by keeping the hot side of the enclosure at 85 - 90 degrees, and the cool side always room temperature. If your snake spends all of its time at the cool end, then adjust your hot end down by five degrees or so, wait a day, and see if he's moved out of the cool end. You shouldn't have the hot end any lower than 80 degrees. Keep a hiding spot at both ends so that the snake isn't just hiding in its only hiding spot despite how comfortable he is in the temps he has. The most important thing to do is to make sure that your enclosure has a hot end and a cool end to allow for thermoregulation, as snakes can't control their own body temperatures and rely on the their surrounding temps to regulate their body temps.and has redgex says get her of them savings asap they could be your problem


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## sedman62 (Feb 24, 2008)

the temp is 80-90` in the warm end and i had her on newspaper before and it was just the same problem


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

How old is the king, and what size? Was it eating well on defrost before you bougtt it, if so how was it being kept, and what size is the viv?
If your king is a hatchling or juvenile I would suggest that the reason it is not feeding is possibly stress due to being in a large viv.


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## sedman62 (Feb 24, 2008)

its around 3.5-4ft and its i think 4 years old or more


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

Hey ian14, the Cali was bought from us, shes an 04, was feeding fine on defrost, every week to ten days, missed occasionally, when shedding. She ate on the wednesday and was collected the following weekend. The only problem we can see would be the pine shavings shes now on?


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## slap (Sep 23, 2006)

*ok*

get rid off the shavings.and leave well alone for at least two weeks.dont panick about non feeding just yet .i had one the same age that whent three months without a feed.(new viv.) could take a while to get used to it.


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## vizzyuk (Apr 14, 2008)

not sure of the time frame, i may of misunderstood, but it sounds you haven't had her long??
if so the move will always disturb a snake and there eating, and mood patterns, if that is the case like someone else said, leave her be for 2 weeks, and maybe even put a blanket over the viv to leave er in the dark, may sound strange, but it can really help the snake settle in somewhere like that.

another thing you could try is to hand feed her, if you trust her enough. simply hold her about 6-8" from the back of her head, in one hand, with her body comfortable and relaxed on your lap, in her viv etc. hold the back end of a nicely warmed mouse in the other hand, and very gently, and slowly tap each side of her mouth alternatively with the nose of the mouse. this will prompt her to bite at the mouse, after that, instincts should kick in. (only attempt this if you are very sure, and confident)

tbh though it is not uncommon for snakes to go off their food from time to time, she may be due a shed, wich from the sulky stage to actual shedding can take weeks.

again i must echo the rest and say the shavngs are toxic, and could cause all sorts of breathing problems etc, change that soon as you can mate

good luck
viz


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Would agree, only the substrate seems wrong. Viv is fine for an adult (only queried this as I considered the fact it may have been a hatchling). try aspen or bark, or good old paper.


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## sedman62 (Feb 24, 2008)

would it make any difference that before i got her she was in a very small viv and now shes in a huge one?


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## repkid (Nov 30, 2007)

From what i have read, kings are quite secretive. When your snake is hiding in them hides, is it touching the sides of them as snakes usually like to be able to be touching whatever its in. Just wondering if the snake feels insecure because the hides are too big.

I am no expert and have never kept kings before. Just a suggestion!

Brad


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