Any ideas on feeding an infant Florida Scarlet Kingsnake? SAD*UPDATE*

Well, I was outside cleaning my chick coop, and when I moved the fenced sides, I found a small kingsnake. I would like to attempt to raise it, and went right away to the pet store, where I learned that if I cannot feed it within a week, I should release it. I am totally agreeable to this, as I would never keep something like a wild animal if it won't thrive in captivity. I know it would be best to just release it, but would like to give it a go. So, my question is: if I am unsuccessful in finding any baby lizards (figures when I need em I can't find em) what else can I feed it? The pet store said pinkies are too big!? I find that hard to believe, but what do I know? Anywho, any thoughts on this? I currently have "king" in a 15 gallon fish tank with some storebought sand, a heat rock, a shallow dish of water, a broken dish to hide under, and a branch from a pine hedge. I have added some small crickets I found in the yard, if it wants any of them.

Sorry it's a little blurry:

You could try cutting up the pinkies, which is what alot of people I know do, with varying results. There are places you can find on reptile forums that sell the more unusual frozen feeder animals, including tiny frozen anoles, frogs, and snakes, but they tend to be expensive. I also have another friend who pays neighborhood children to collect anoles and house geckos to feed his gecko, so you could try that route.
I personally find baby snakes too hard to care for, but I wish you luck on yours, whatever the outcome may be

Thank you so much! I will look up the websites, and see what the kids can find. Thanks again! Steph

I agree with chopping up Pinkies as well. I've always done it with frozen Pinks, of course. I had one male Cornsnake that would NOT eat a full pinkie, he would always regurgitate, so I had to cut it up. I fed him the top half and fed the bottom half to another snake. Beautiful snake, BTW. I would NOT try feeding it Anoles or anything like that because once a snake gets fed one thing, it might become addicted to it. Anoles arent too cheap when you have to buy them for 15 years! Good Luck. I wont keep any WC snakes here because all of the ones you find here are readily available online or in the petstores!

Hi,
I'm thinking crickets, grasshoppers and any other crawly things you might find would mimic what the snake would find in the wild. That might be easier than cutting up pinkies because some animals won't eat their prey unless it's moving.
Suzy

crickets, they should eat those. small bugs and things like that. sometimes they will eat small feeder fish if they are in their water dish. anything you find out here in florida will pretty much eat anything else you find here! it is ADORABLE!!!!

For the two replies before me, some snakes shouldnt, and usually wont, eat insects/fish. Different species eat different things. These snakes eat lizards, other snakes & rodents. I believe I also read eggs possibly. I would say for a snake that small, you are better off trying a pinky head, and then see if it will eat the rest afterwards.

Thank you guys! I'm gonna take a trip to pick up some pinkies tomorrow. The little guy is so small, but is settling in nicely. I'll keep you updated. Steph

I found a baby Speckled Kingsnake last summer just waiting to be eaten by a bird. He was about that size. I started with crickets then moved up to split in hald (lengthwise) FT pinkies. He now eats the largest mouse pinkies I can get and is about to graduate to fuzzies. He is just as sweet and does just as good as my captive bred California King.

He is a beautiful baby, btw.

Be careful with the crickets in the cage . . . king snakes won't eat them, but the crickets could end up chewing on the snake. Crickets are vicious little things!
It's true that once you feed certain snakes something, they can become "addicted" to it, and refuse to eat anything else. King snakes are actually notorious for this, and many people, after years of feeding a king snake mice, will decide to feed it a snake or lizard as a treat . . . and realize they can't get their snake to eat mice again! This can become a strain on the wallet, so if you can, try pinkies first, and reptiles as a last resort. There are ways to train a reptile eating snake to take mice, but it can become a very long and aggravating process. I am still trying to train my pine snake to take thawed mice instead of live, but he's very bull headed about it. Wild caught snakes can be extra trouble in regards to feeding, but hopefully that won't be the case for you. Even if you have to release it, you probably saved it from becoming dinner . . . chickens can never resist those adorable baby snakes