King rats

[rlondon1231]

Does anyone have any experience with King rats or mangrove snakes I've wanted to get one of these snakes for awhile and looking for someone to kind of point me in the right direction.

[Prognathodon]

We've got two captive-bred Kings in the house, one thayeri-phase Mexican, and a black Mexican. Both are 2015 youngsters, and have very nice temperaments. My thayeri nipped a couple times at first, but they were scared tiny-noodle nips that weren't a big deal, and she quickly figured out we aren't dangerous. The MBK has been a sweetheart from day one.

Right now they're in 10-gallon and 5-long (same footprint as a 10-gallon, half the height) tanks, but will be outgrowing them soon (long-term each will get half of a T8). Temperatures are lower than for BPs.

They're on f/t fuzzies, normally. The thayeri wants you to deposit her mouse at the entrance to the cave, and she takes it almost immediately. The MBK likes a little zombie mouse dance, and eats better if it "fights" until he wraps it.

The kings are more active than BPs, but easy to handle. The MBK likes to burrow in his substrate.

My husband also has a Vietnamese Blue Beauty rat snake, another 2015 baby, from Zerkle Reptile Co. He got a baby, as VBBs can be ornrery if not handled regularly, and didn't want to inherit anyone else's mistakes. The VBB has been growing like a weed. He's hissed and struck a couple times, but I don't think he's ever done more than a closed-mouth bop.

The VBB is active and *fast*. You have to pay attention when handling him, or he'll be off. He's also very arboreal. Currently he's in a 18" x 18" x 24" tall enclosure, long-term plan is for a 2' x 4' x 3' tall Animal Plastics cage.

Temperature requirements are fairly low, but he does need humidity. We tried an Exo-Terra Monsoon Mister, but the spray isn't fine enough, and the result was soggy substrate and insufficient humidity. Husband picked up an ultrasonic humidifier and ducting Christmas Eve that seems to be working better, but the real solution will be getting his AP cage.


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