need a quick ID if i can please.

had this little guy brought to me lastnight i gave them a temp tub and some heating elements cause i dont think it'll make it it's lacerated pretty bad on the sides, and lots of rust colored paint on the poor guy (but that should shed off if he makes it)... but curious what it is, was found at a construction site near lawton, my guess is a kingsnake although i've never seen such weird markings so i think it's an escaped pet maybe, yes it's that yellow and black. infact even more yellow than in the pictures.

I think you're right on both counts.

It appears to be a kingsnake morph and judging by the color and pattern, it's

probably an escaped pet.

Beautiful little snake.

I hope he/she makes it.

It's with an inexperienced set of people. Maybe I should bring it here? I don't have a quarantine room is my main problem.

I agree with you.

Right now it needs to be cared for by an experienced herper, but quarantine would be

necessary.

Definitely a king, pattern says cali king, yellow says coastal (they have the yellow as opposed to the white like desert phase cali kings) and as said, most likely an escaped pet, poor thing looks in rough shape =/
If you need any help with it I would be willing to either take it in personally or bring it to the herp professor and his grads on campus, either way it would get the care it needs.

if it has made it thru the weekend i will take it on monday wounds dont look too bad no organs coming out etc, but did take off big sections of skin, but i've seen much worse with a ratsnake i got one time and sewed him up and he was just fine, so i'll pop him over to moms house with a clean tank and give good soakings daily to loosten it all up, i can't get the paint off as it's over the head and one eye, and some of the body so i will leave it there, should shed off, just hope it hadn't dmg'd the eye at all was very nice and active, they first said a rat, and i was telling them a calm and gentle ratsnake means there's a problem, my mind wants me to say the same with a king too but it's def not a natvie animal it's an escaped pet so it will prob be feisty once i can get it warm, healing, and a meal, a meal will be the key as it's pretty thin/lethargic

David,

I'd encourage you to feed it smaller meals for awhile because of the wounds and

they'll be easier to digest also.

If you're going to soak it frequently, watch the wounds for infection and use neosporin

on them.

Good luck.

they've already been given neosporin, and the soakings were to help the bit of skin not dry out and pull on stuff and cause more problems, to keep it flexible, last time i saw this snake was friday night so i will see how it looks tomarrow and see where it can go from there.

Update on the king. He's been eating and pooing. They say. No shed yet. Wounds are looking ok. Still a long ways to go. But hand fed for me. Not even a strike. Just opened and started eating. Very tame.

David,

After seeing these pictures it''s a California Kingsnake.

It may not be a "pure" California King, but the pattern indicates that it's

genetics are predominately those of a California King.

Cool snake !

I hope it's doing well. If you have to soak it, it would be a good idea to add a little Betadine solution to help prevent infection and the movement while soaking will also help the antibacterial to get between the scales.

Tandy