Containment for a strong, restless snake
A king snake is an active, muscular escape artist, so its grab bag starts with a heavy-duty plastic tub whose lid locks and then gets backup clips or a strap for the journey. Line the tub with paper towels, which make waste and any regurgitation obvious at a glance, and add a hide the snake can wedge into tightly. Choose a water bowl heavy enough that a pushing, exploring snake cannot tip it across the tub in the first hour. Test the sealed tub by pressing and flexing every edge: a king snake investigates weaknesses persistently, and a lid that bows under your hand will bow under its head.
The rule this kit carries in capital letters
Write HOUSE ALONE on the king snake's tub and kit card, because king snakes prey on other snakes, including their own kind. In a chaotic evacuation where keepers pool animals to save space, that single note prevents the worst outcome in the whole kit. The same warning covers shared sheltering at the destination: this snake needs its own tub, its own shelf space away from other reptiles, and handling kept separate. If your household keeps several snakes, each travels in its own labelled container, and the king snake's label is the one that explains why.
Capture gear for a snake that may musk and bite
Pack a thick cloth snake bag or pillowcase for the actual catch, knotted hard at the neck, and consider adding a pair of light handling gloves to the kit. A king snake being grabbed during a smoke alarm or a rushed evacuation may musk, thrash or bite out of fear even if it is normally handleable, and calm, covered hands move it faster than bare ones recoiling. Set the closed bag inside the locked tub before carrying anything, so the snake is double-contained before doors start opening. Spare paper towels and a spare bag ride along for the inevitable cleanup.
Warmth, water and feeding notes
Hand warmers belong in a king snake kit under the standard barrier rule: outside the tub or beneath one end, wrapped, never loose against the snake. Add a thermometer so a helper verifies the tub instead of trusting a strange room. Do not pack prey for a short evacuation; note instead on the card when the snake last ate, what it takes, and that feeding waits until the snake is settled somewhere warm and quiet, since a meal offered mid-crisis risks regurgitation. Bottled water for the bowl covers the real daily need, and the card should flag that this species soaks occasionally, so a helper does not panic at finding it in the bowl.
Identification and the refresh routine
A king snake's kit card should carry a sharp photo showing its banding or speckling, its length, colour description in plain words, last feed and shed, health notes, and your and your vet's contacts. Banded king snakes look near-identical to untrained eyes, so note any broken band, scar or unusual marking that singles yours out. Reopen the bag regularly to replace hand warmers, retest the clips, update the photo as the snake grows and rewrite the card after any change in feeding. Sharing this snake's solo-housing rule, feeding history and handling notes through a KinsLe Care Pass means a trusted keeper receives the full picture, not just a tub with a warning on the lid.