Decor
- Fill the ground with hides, branches and enrichment — snakes dislike big open spaces
- Climbing branches — mainly arboreal lifestyle
- Artificial foliage for aesthetics and extra hiding places
- Water bowl on the cool side
Snakes · Care guide
Rhino Rat Snake Care Guide
Gonyosoma boulengeri
From north Vietnam into southern China — a very slender arboreal rat snake averaging about 4–5 ft with a distinctive nasal horn. Diurnal and mainly tree-dwelling in humid mountain forests. Tall wooden vivarium 36″ × 18″ × 34″, probe 78 °F, T5 6% UV, orchid bark and coir, night humidity spike to ~90%, and a rodent diet sized to girth.
At a glance
Quick facts
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
-
Daytime probe
78 °F
26 °C · thermostat sensor
-
Night drop
~10 °F
~68 °F · ~20 °C
-
Humidity
<70 / 90%
Day / night spike
-
Adult vivarium
36×18×34
W×D×H · tall wooden
01 · Housing
Enclosure & housing
Mainly arboreal in mountainous humid forests — good swimmers but spend most of their time in the trees. Diurnal, so activity can be watched by day. Adult wooden vivarium minimum 36″ W × 18″ D × 34″ H (or larger). Orchid bark and coir, floor cover plus climbing branches, artificial foliage, and a cool-side water bowl.
Adult minimum size
36″ W × 18″ D × 34″ H
Wooden vivarium (or bigger as desired). Medium slender species averaging about 4–5 ft — heat bulb with ¼/¼ probe method, T5 6% UV, climbing branches, hides and enrichment.
Substrate
- Humidity-holding mix — orchid bark mixed with coir, or a bio substrate
- High-humidity mountain forest — substrate should hold moisture for the night spike
- Avoid fine mineral sands that can cause impaction
Cleaning
- Daily: spot clean to limit bacteria and odours
- About every six weeks: full clean if kept relatively clean — replace substrate, disinfect decor and vivarium
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 36″ wide × 34″ tall (depth 18″) · hides · tunnels · tall branches · foliage · coir & bark · cool water bowl
- Front proportions — 36″ wide × 34″ tall (18:17); depth 18″ — adult minimum or more
- Hides & tunnels — fill the floor for enrichment and privacy
- Branches — tall, sturdy climbing wood for a mainly arboreal snake
- Foliage — artificial plants for cover and aesthetics
- Water bowl — cool end; de-chlorinated water replaced daily
- Substrate — orchid bark mixed with coir (or bio); evening spray for ~90% night spike
- Mainly arboreal — tall vivarium 36″ × 18″ × 34″; slender climbers about 4–5 ft
Setup diagram · 1 of 2
Top-down view
Heat bulb & probe left–right positions · Recommended temps need this layout
Setup diagram · 2 of 2
Front view
Looking into the vivarium · bulb on the ceiling · probe hangs down the back
- Heat bulb — about one-quarter from one side, halfway front to back (on / through the ceiling)
- Probe — one-quarter from the opposite side, hanging down the back, resting a few inches from the floor
02 · Climate
Temperature, UV & humidity
Probe 78 °F with a clear cool-to-warm gradient, T5 6% UV (diurnal), and humidity under 70% by day with a night spike to about 90%.
Daytime temperature gradient
When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of 78 °F (26 °C) creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Cool side | ~75 °F (~24 °C) |
| Probe point (thermostat probe target) | 78 °F (26 °C) |
| Middle | 82–84 °F (28–29 °C) |
| Warm side | ~86 °F (~30 °C) |
| Basking spot | ~88 °F (~31 °C) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~68 °F (~20 °C) at night · ~10 °F drop |
Photoperiod & night
- Winter: about 12 hours light/heat
- Summer: up to 16 hours when days are longer
- Night: reduce thermostat by ~10 °F (~6 °C) to approx. 68 °F (~20 °C)
- Night drop lets metabolism slow — essential for the snake
UV lighting
- Diurnal — they need a UV system
- T5 6% unit recommended on the ceiling
- Match UV hours to heat: ~12 h winter / up to 16 h summer
- Daytime activity can be observed — provide light and UV through the day period
Climate diagram
Lighting setup
T5 6% on the ceiling · heat dome on the warm side · match UV to heat
- T5 6% — ceiling-mounted; recommended for this diurnal arboreal species
- Heat dome — warm side (~¼ from end); probe ¼ opposite, few inches from floor
- Day length — about 12 hours in winter, up to 16 hours in summer
- Night drop — reduce thermostat ~10 °F to about 68 °F
Humidity & water
- Daytime less than 70%
- Night spike to about 90% — as in the wild
- Spray lightly in the evening; fogger or rain system optional
- Cool-side water bowl; replace daily with de-chlorinated water
First power-up tip
Always have the thermostat dial turned down before you plug it into the mains for the first time. Set the probe to 78 °F (26 °C) for daytime once the heat bulb and sensor are in place.
03 · Nutrition
Diet & feeding
Rodent feeders sized to girth. Settle first, then build a steady schedule — evening or overnight feeds suit most beauty rats.
At a glance
Feeding cheat sheet
- Prey
- Frozen prey – always feed thawed prey (rodent feeders)
- Schedule
- Young 2×/week · sub-adults every 5 days · adults 1×/week
- Food size
- Match girth — mouse roughly as thick as the body
- When
- Evening / overnight preferred · allow overnight to eat · remove uneaten by morning
Prey size ladder Pinkie through extra-large mouse (sheet guide)
- 1 pinkie per feed × 2 a week → 2 pinkies per feed × 2 a week
- 1 fluff per feed × 2 a week → 2 fluffs per feed every 5 days
- 1 hop per feed every 5 days → small mouse every 7 days
- Medium mouse every 7–10 days · large every 10–12 days · XL every 14 days
Feeding routine
- Allow the snake to settle before offering food — new arrivals often will not eat well the first week
- Some take food from tweezers; others prefer floor and overnight — give ample overnight time
- If uneaten by morning, throw the mouse away and try again on the next scheduled feed
- Do not offer more frequently than usual — that can stress the snake
Water
- Drink from water bowls — place one on the cool side
- Replace water daily
- Treat with a de-chlorinator such as Reptisafe — not water straight from the tap
04 · Behaviour
Handling & behaviour
Patience first. Settling and regular feeding come before handling.
- Step 1
Settle first
Allow the snake to settle and begin eating regularly before handling — we recommend at least two successful feeds first. Adapting is stressful; early handling can make it worse.
- Step 2
Short sessions
Initial sessions: 5–10 minutes only. Lengthen as the snake becomes more comfortable.
- Hygiene
Wash hands
Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling to prevent bacteria transfer both ways.
- Warning
No aerosols
Do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure — the chemicals can harm reptiles.
05 · Welfare
Health & welfare
Prevention starts with correct husbandry — heat, UV, hydration, and safe substrate working together.
Best prevention: good husbandry
Correct temperatures, hydration, supplementing, and correct UV output keep the immune system and gut working well — supporting essential physiological processes.
Inert substrates Paper, lino, carpet — pros & cons
Pros
- Lower impaction risk
Cons
- Limit natural behaviours such as digging
- Can increase faecal contamination (waste less absorbed than traditional substrates)
Questions
FAQ
What size vivarium does a Rhino Rat Snake need?
Adult minimum is a wooden vivarium 36″ wide × 34″ high × 18″ deep, or larger as desired. They are a medium slender species averaging about 4–5 ft, mainly arboreal. Use orchid bark mixed with coir (or a bio substrate), fill the floor with hides, branches and enrichment, add climbing branches and artificial foliage, and a cool-side water bowl. Heat bulb about one-quarter from one side; probe one-quarter from the opposite side, hanging down the back a few inches from the floor. T5 6% UV on the ceiling.
What temperatures does a Rhino Rat Snake need?
Set the thermostat probe to 78 °F (26 °C) by day with the heat bulb about one-quarter from one side, halfway front to back, and the probe one-quarter from the opposite side hanging down the back a few inches from the floor. That creates a gradient of about 75 °F cool, 82–84 °F middle, around 86 °F warm, and around 88 °F under the basking bulb. At night reduce the thermostat by about 10 °F to around 68 °F (20 °C). Daytime heat about 12 hours in winter and up to 16 hours in summer.
What humidity and UV do they need?
They need less than 70% humidity during the day but a night spike to about 90% (as in the wild). Spray lightly in the evening; a fogger or rain system can help. Because they are diurnal, provide a UV system — we recommend a 6% T5 unit on the ceiling.
How large do Rhino Rat Snakes get?
They are a very slender medium species averaging about 4–5 ft, from north Vietnam into southern China. With regular handling they become extremely handleable. They are mainly arboreal and diurnal, so most activity can be watched during the day.
When can I start handling my Rhino Rat Snake?
Allow the snake to settle and begin eating regularly before handling — at least two successful feeds first. Early sessions 5–10 minutes only; lengthen as they become more comfortable. Wait about 24 hours after feeding before handling. Always wash or disinfect hands before and after. No aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure.
How often should I feed a Rhino Rat Snake?
Young snakes twice a week while growing; sub-adults about every five days; adults about once a week. Prey size should match the snake’s girth (not head size). Feed in the evening or overnight; remove uneaten food by morning. Do not offer more frequently than usual if a meal is refused — that can stress the snake.
Next steps
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