There are countless species of snakes available to the keeper now days. Certain species of python have really taken off and become "the hottest thing". I have kept and bred ball pythons, rat snakes, burmese pythons, and kingsnakes. None captured my interest like the Florida and Eastern kingsnakes. Granted, I know they've been lumped into one species now, but I prefer to keep them separate in my own head if nowhere else.
The first thing you will notice about kingsnakes in comparison to their python cousins is they are a lot more active. These guys spend considerable amounts of time cruising their cage and exploring. They also seem to be interested in what is going on around them. I enjoy watching them do what they do.
Another aspect of these kingsnakes I really like is their size. To me they are the perfect size snake. Large enough to be impressive when they're adults, but not so large you need ridiculously large enclosures to house them. My adults are so much fun to work with and handle.
Florida and Eastern kings have pretty much the same humidity and temperature requirements. These are very easy requirements for me to meet as I live in North Carolina. We have mild winters and humid, hot summers.
All of my adult snakes eat frozen/thawed rodents so feeding them is really easy and affordable. Most of them never miss a meal either which is a nice feeling as a snake keeper.
Breeding them is a fun and rewarding experience, not to mention it is a pretty simple process. There are a lot of color and pattern morphs to choose from and combine with each other.
I simply cannot recommend these snakes enough. Whether you're a new snake keeper or an old hat, you are bound to find a lot to like about these snakes. That is why they've made up the bulk of my snake keeping for the last several years.
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