I had been researching this snake for months. Yesterday at the expo, I was lucky to find an available adult rhino rat for sale and as soon as I held him, I was in love. Unfortunately, bad news is that I was not ready yet and have not gone through details on how set up its enclosure. And for a $700 snake, I did not want to risk it and screw it up, and...Good news is I finally found the gray banded kingsnake I had been looking for almost a year! Pictured will be available after he settles down and eats for me. I don't usually take pics on first days.

Anyways, I am rereading my research material and there are very few and far in between. Anyone who had kept them can chime in? I had found care sheets suggesting a basking spot from 79-89 F, another from 85-90F and then 75-85F. Being a snake found in higher elevation, is this a species that prefers cooler temps, similar to the Mandarin rat?

This will be my first aboreal snake. I am reading a lot of materials on chrono set ups and since both snakes need high humidity and branches to climb. A heat mat would not be sufficient, right? CHE heating with dimmer? Coco fiber for substrate in a glass tank? Or should I use tubs? Big bowl of water for soaking? How big and tall is a good size for an adult? What do you use for hides that are off the ground?