The feeding record of a snake that rarely refuses
A king snake's feeding log is the centrepiece of his handover because this species' appetite is itself a diagnostic tool. King snakes are bold, committed feeders, so a dated log showing years of taken meals makes any refusal stand out sharply — and refusals, regurgitations, or a sudden change in feeding enthusiasm are often the reason for the visit. Record his prey size and type, feeding interval, the date of his last meal, and every exception, however minor it seemed.
Write down his feeding response honestly. Many king snakes strike fast and constrict hard, some bite at anything warm during feeding mode, and a few need prey left quietly instead. The new clinic's staff will handle him around appointment time, and knowing whether he is in food mode at the sight of tongs is practical safety information, not a confession.
Housing notes: a snake-eating snake lives alone
Include a housing note stating plainly that he is kept alone. King snakes eat other snakes in the wild, and his record should confirm solitary housing so no well-meaning advice about companions is ever acted on. If he has ever shared a house with other reptiles nearby, note the arrangement; it is the kind of background a vet files away.
Add the rest of his setup: enclosure size, warm and cool end temperatures as you measure them, humidity, substrate, hides, and any recent changes — a new enclosure, a moved room, a failed heat mat replaced. Changes in setup line up with changes in behaviour often enough that the dates belong in the handover.
Shed, growth and temperament records
Hand over his shed log with dates and completeness, noting any retained skin, particularly on the tail tip. Pair it with his weight and length records: king snakes grow into solid, muscular adults, and a dated weight series lets the new vet judge whether he is lean, well-covered, or carrying too much — king snakes fed on enthusiasm alone can grow heavy, and the log shows whether that has been happening.
Write a temperament note from real experience. How does he behave when the enclosure opens, during handling, and when returned? Does he musk, tail-buzz, or settle quickly? Species and subspecies belong on this page too — a California king snake and an eastern king snake are different animals in size and pattern, and the record should name which one the vet is meeting.
Previous history and the purpose of the visit
Bring his previous vet summaries: examinations, parasite checks, any treatment for respiratory signs, mouth problems, or injuries, and anything left open. Then state the visit's purpose with dates if a symptom prompted it — what you noticed, when, and how it has progressed — or say plainly that this is a baseline visit for a healthy snake changing clinics.
Gathering the feeding log, housing note, shed and growth records and prior history into KinsLe's Pet Passport means the new vet starts your king snake's first appointment already knowing the animal.