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Milk Snakes

Description

The name milk snake comes from the fact that they were often found in cow sheds and were thought to be there to drink the cow's milk, although they were most like there to eat the rats and mice that also lived in the barns.

Milk snakes have smooth and shiny scales and their typical colour pattern is alternating bands of red-black-yellow or white-black-red, this is to mimic the venomous coral snake. Milk snakes and coral snakes are subtly different in their patterning.

Coral snakes colours go red-yellow-black or red-white-black.

Here are some rhymes to help distinguish the two species

·        "Red to yellow, kill a fellow. Red to black, venom lack."

·        "If red touches black, you're okay Jack; if red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow."

·        "Red next to black, poison I lack; red next to yellow, run away fellow."

·        "Red and black, friend of Jack; red and yellow kill a fellow."

Of course in captivity this mix up would never happen.

The most common species in captivity are the Honduran, Sinaloan and Pueblan Milk Snakes, which all have the same basic patterning but the widths of the bands are different. For instance the Sinaloan milk snake has very wide red bands.

Habitat

Milk snakes typically live in forests, however in some regions may live in prairies.

In the wild milk snakes will eat a wide variety of prey, including reptiles, birds, rodents and amphibians.

Selecting Your Snake 

When purchasing a Milk snake it is worthwhile going to a reputable reptile shop or breeder. They will be only too happy to let you see the selection of snakes they have available. The snake should be confident with handling although hatchlings often take a minute or two to settle down. They should be bright and clean looking. Check the snake is feeding ok (never buy a non-feeder) most people keep feeding records. Hatchlings should have eaten a minimum of 3 times before they are sold.

  Housing 

A wooden vivarium is best for milk snakes as they are better insulated than glass or plastic tanks, so therefore easier to get the heating set up correctly. They are also designed with snakes in mind so escapees are unlikely. (Remember to shut the doors properly!). A wooden vivarium will offer more privacy as they only have a glass front.

For a hatchling snake we would recommend a 24” vivarium, then upgrade to a 36” at about 1 year of age.

If young snakes are put into a large vivarium they often become stressed and refuse to feed.

Milk snakes should be kept separately as they will eat other snakes!

Heating 

Temperature is very important in reptile care as they cannot produce their own body heat and need to be kept within a suitable range to help the body function correctly.

Milk snakes require a temperature gradient of 24°C to 30°C during in the day; this can be achieved by using a heat mat and a basking light on thermostats mounted at one side of the vivarium to create a warmer side. At night the temperature should drop to around 20°C to 23°C.

It is very important to know what the temperature is, so check regularly with an accurate thermometer. Ideally use two maximum/minimum thermometers per vivarium (one at each end of the vivarium). Do not guess or take temperature by hand (if it feels warm or cold)

Lighting 

A simply 12 hour light cycle is ideal for milk snakes.

The UV requirements of snakes are not fully understood, but many have been kept successfully without UV lighting being provided. Although some keepers believe it is beneficial.

  Water

It is important to provide your snake with fresh water every day, in a bowl that is large enough for the snake to submerge in. This will help the snake shed its skin.

Hides and Décor

The snake will require a few hides in the vivarium so that it can feel secure. By having 2 or 3 in different areas the vivarium the snake will be able to chose the one that is at the best temperature. A humid hide is also recommended (such as the Exo Terra Snake Cave). These are hollow hides with a damp moss inside, snakes will often use these when they are shedding their skin.

Plastic plants are also good to use, as these look very attractive in the vivarium as well as offering privacy. Real plants however are a poor choice, as the heat will kill them very quickly and the snakes will often dig them out if their pots.

Feeding

Feed your snake one defrosted mouse weekly. The mouse should be no bigger than the largest part of the snake. milk snakes can eat mice their entire lives - starting off with pinkies as a hatchling and moving up in size as the animal grows.

As snakes do not use energy to warm their bodies (as mammals do) they need less energy to function.

Resist the urge to feed your snake more often or larger prey as this can lead to the snake growing to fast, which can result in the head of the snake not growing at the same speed as the rest of the body. Obesity can also be a problem. If a snake is overfed they have no reason to move around their vivarium and this is detrimental to their health.

There are a few feeding techniques the most simple is to place the defrosted food in the vivarium near the snake and leave it to feed. The other way is to offer the food on some tongs or tweezers to the snake; they will often strike very quickly then constrict the mouse.

Snake sometimes will refuse to feed while shedding.

Maintenance  

Spot-clean your snake's enclosure as necessary, removing waste as soon as possible. Clean and disinfect the water bowl on a weekly basis. Depending on cage conditions, remove all substrate & cage furniture and completely disinfect using safe disinfectant. Rinse the enclosure thoroughly and allow too dry before replacing cage furniture and your snake.

Shedding

Snakes shed their skin as they grow; it normal comes off in one piece.  The first stage in the process is when the eyes go opaque (cloudy) at this point the snake will not want to feed and will hide away, it is best to leave it to do so. After a few days the eyes will clear again but it won’t shed for another 7 to 10 days. If the snake has trouble removing the skin it is best to put the snake in a tub with some damp moss to help soften the skin and help buy gentle rubbing. If you have trouble removing the skin

Conclusion

Milk snakes are a stunningly beautiful species but can often be very wriggly and will often scent mark (remember they have to learn that you aren’t going to eat them).  They will soon settle with regular handling and do make interesting pets.