Anyone keep king rats?

[Prognathodon]

My husband has a king rat, got him from Zerkle Reptile at the spring NARBC in Tinley Park. He's an adolescent.

He's very shy, a little defensive-nippy, but not aggressive. I can go in and spot clean, mess with water, etc., and he just curls up tighter in his hide. He'd probably improve with more handling, but shortly after Buford came home my husband's career took a left turn, so snake playtime has been less frequent.

Buford is a good feeder, and my upstairs garbage disposal snake, but he doesn't take food off the tongs. Just leave his rat in the enclosure and it disappears. Like other old world rats he prefers a lower temperature than my Aussie pythons. Before we got the window AC units in for the summer, he spent a day or two in his water bowl. Since then he's back to taking the occasional bath.

The name "Stinking Goddess" is appropriate, Buford's enclosure has a definite pong like none of the other snakes', but to the best of my knowledge he's never musked.


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