I have one 07 California king which I received on May 19 '08 from my cat Xeno. This little snake was bitten on her neck with four puncture wounds. I put her in a quart plastic jar with holes in the lid, and paper towels, and put her in a warm place to survive the night, or not. Happily the next morning she was still alive, full of spunk, rattling her tail at me and in general trying to look fearsome. I fed her a small alligator lizard the next day in a 10 gallon aquarium I had on hand. I scrambled around on the Internet to find out how to take care of king snakes. She got the UTH, thermostat, thermometer, aspen, water bowl, moss hide, ect, and settled into being my pet, becoming relaxed with me.
On May 30th she went into blue and shed June 3rd. On June 5th she ate her first ft pinkie, after a few failed attempts with this unusual for her food item. She eats for me quite regularly, except for a period this summer when the summer heat made her estivate for a few weeks. The odd thing about her eating habits is she will eat the occasional alligator lizard or skink I steal from the cats for her in her tank, but she will not eat pinkies in her tank, she must have those in her special feeding jar with a towel over it, and with the whole affair setting on top of the reptile shelves in a dark corner for a few hours. I recently put a live pinkie in her tank and when she smelled it, the flick of her tongue made the pinkie wave its feet in the air, and this action made her retreat! She would not eat the live pinkie in the feeding jar, either. I gave her a ft pinkie instead, in her jar, and she ate it. She is a shy feeder; I have never seen her actually in the act of eating!
I recount this little story to share my experience with feeding this odd little character. My six 08 pyros eat both live and ft in their tanks. But not my Cali. She will only eat fts and only in her jar. (Unless the cats provide a lizard treat!)
Since you just got your new baby October 28th, it may still be adjusting to it's new home. I'd try consistently once a week to feed it, during the rest of the time leave it be with a nice hide and fresh water. When you do feed it, give it as much privacy as possible. Snakes find their meals under things and in crevices; you could try putting the meal under the snake's hide, or just at the edge, so it can get it without feeling exposed.
