Adult
or better say almost adult and adult snakes we have in vivariums. The youngs we have in plastic boxes with secured cover. Hatchlings we have in smaller plastic boxes with divided cover.
At this moment we have two separated vivarium and three-part vivarium wall. Vivarium wall contains 17 vivariums and is quite easy to expand it up to 22 vivariums without any need of additional space. Each vivarium is divided into 4 sections. Biggest section is for dry substrate (we are using wooden chips), it's the right place for a heating rock, big for moistured substrate (we are using moistured peat and our kingsnakes love to dig there and lay on the bottom), small for water (approx 3 litres capacity, some of our kingsnakes love to take a bath regulary) and smallest one for feeding. It's because snakes like to have one place where they are used to eat and because you have prompt info about feeding status. Of course this is nice for snakes but really not easy for maintenance, so if we will expand more than 5 vivariums, so definetly we are about to go plastic box way, as does almost each real breeder w/ so many snakes. Also if you are about to ask us what we would change in our vivarium set up against current set up.. so there are two things. First of them to have yet one separated not so easy accessible water area, probably i higher part of vivarium. Why? Because from time to time our Kings love to poooooooooooooo (believe us that it's shortcut yet..) in water and although that we regulary clean our vivs, it's better two have there all time really clear water to drink.Each vivs have two easy to wash/clean caves, one on wooden chips and one on peat. In four vivs is light, but we do not consider it as important. In six vivs we have two glass desk on back wall as horizontal rest places. Our intention was to extend living place, but to be honest it has almost no sense and it's only making cleaning more complicated. In some of our vivs you can find some lianas, but it's quite redundant equipment too. Kings much rather love to dig in peat than to climb anything.. Vivs we clean weekly (just small maintenance). Complete cleaning and substrates exchange is done once a year, normally just within brumation.
Otherwise in accordance w/ needs. For example section w/ water is necessary to clean quite often. Vivs has folding and removable doors, passive ventilation is in lower and higher part of each viv.
In plastic boxes are newspapers as bedding. On bedding is plastic bowl with water. Bedding is changed and box cleaned at least once a week. Boxes have of course holes for air ventilation
Brumation
Kings we are putting in brumation in their 2nd year and it's aproximatly from half November till end on January in temperature 12-15 degrees Celsium.
Feeding
We are feeding w/ mice, mastomyses and rats of diff sizes. If it's possible we prefer to feed w/ youngs to minimize risk of injuring of our snakes. We are feeding once a week. Sometimes we skip a week for adult snakes.
Lampropeltis.CZ, 2008, contact