King Snake in a Ball Python rack?

[Monty44]

Can a King Snake be kept in the same rack as a Ball python? I don't know much about king snakes aside from their feed response.

[AbsoluteApril]

Not a good idea, the temps would be way too high

[Monty44]

I probably should've specified Mexican Black Kingsnakes. Similar temp gradient but what I'm worried about is if they'll smell the ball pythons and go crazy

[Stewart_Reptiles]

What April said, you are looking at 84 max on the hot side for King, 88/90 for BP

I keep Honduran Milksnakes obviously south american species and I still do not keep them in the same rack than my BP

[Monty44]

Every care sheet I can find says up to 90°F so that's what I'm going to go off of. Honduran milksnakes don't need temps as high as MBKS. So, temperature aside, can they be kept on the same rack? My only concern is the feed response.

[bcr229]

I have an MBK. While she's in a rack with my other king snakes she would be ok in a rack with ball pythons as yes they can run a little warmer. If you have a tub in the rack that runs cooler than the rest - and often there is one - I would keep her there.

As for her food response, even when she lived in a room by herself she often mistook my fingers for pinkies. When they are on food they are VERY on food, though that varies more due to the time of year than other snakes it can smell.

[cchardwick]

I keep 5 King snakes in the same rack as my ball pythons, ambient temp is 82F and hotspot is 90F. No problems at all. My king snakes never hang out on the hotspot. No problems feeding either.

[Monty44]

Awesome! Thanks for the info guys!

[Jhill001]

If you're gonna run colubrids that warm you need to make sure that you are doing water changes every day otherwise you're gonna be at greater risk of shedding issues.

[Craiga 01453]

Based solely on feeding response, I see no issue at all. Kings are garbage disposals and I have never run into feeding issues with any of my Kings.

However, I personally would NOT run my king temps that high. You've got some great people offering experience and knowledge about your temps because they genuinely care about the animals. Your original question was vague and people offered insight based on that. That's why temps came into play with their answers. Then you came back with the temps aside thing saying your only concern was feeding response. Well, you absolutely SHOULD be concerned with temps and I would NOT advise keeping Kings at those temps you mention. I have been keeping Kings for years and my temps never get higher than mid 80s.