Western
New York Herpetological Society
www.wnyherp.org
© 2001
- 2002 by Western New York Herpetological Society
This
document is for guidance only and should not be used as the sole source of
information. New information is being developed daily. It is recommended that a
concerted effort be made to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the animals of
interest.
Common
Name:
Milk
Snake
Latin
name:
Lampropeltis triangulum
Native
to:
Southeastern
Canada to northern South America
Size:
From
6" to 28" for L. t. elapsoides, the Scarlet Kingsnake to 16" to
48" for L. t. gaigeae the
Black
Milk Snake and L. t. hondurensis, the Honduran Milk Snake.
Life
span:
20 +
years, average is 15 years.
General
appearance:
This
species is represented by three general pattern types: tri-colored in which the
snake possesses bold rings of white/ yellow, black, and red/orange, which may or
may not extend onto the belly and completely encircle the snake. The other
commonly encountered pattern type for this species is that of a light tan, gray
or cream background color with darker red, russet or brown dorsal and lateral
blotches. The last pattern type belongs only to the black milk snake L.
t. gaigeae. This snake starts out tri-colored but turns into a completely
patternless black snake by two years of age. Depending on the sub-species, milk
snakes can be either heavy bodied (Pueblan, Black and Mexican) or slim
(Sinaloan, Nelson's and Scarlet Kingsnake).
Housing
requirements:
Enclosure:
Milk
snakes are secretive animals that prefer to conceal themselves. Because of
their desire to squeeze into the tiniest of cracks and crevices, they are also
born escape artists. Their enclosure should reflect these characteristics. The
length of a milk snake's cage should be at least 2/3's of the snake’s body
length and should possess multiple hiding areas. Baby milk snakes will do well
in either plastic shoebox containers or small glass aquaria, 2 1/2 to 5
gallons. Adults can be successfully maintained in 16" by 24" plastic
sweater boxes or larger glass aquaria, 20 to 30 gallon long tanks. In all
cases, the opening to the enclosure must be secure or the snake will escape.
Temperature:
Being
a temperate to a sub-tropical species, milk snakes will do well with daytime
ambient air temperatures ranging from 78 to 82 degrees F. The air temperature
may be allowed to drop to 65 to 70 degrees F. at night. Unless they are being
brumated (hibernated) milk snakes should always have access to warmer localized
temperatures to aid in digestion, immune function and metabolism. These
higher temperatures are most easily achieved by placing a heat pad
underneath 1/4 to 1/3 of the enclosure and either set to the low setting or adjusted
with a rheostat (dimmer switch) and monitored to make sure it stays within the
appropriate range of 84 - 88 degrees F. This thermal gradient will allow the
snake to choose the temperature that suits its immediate needs.
Heat/Light:
Added
light is not necessary if temperatures can be maintained within the desired
ranges with a heat pad. Milk snakes are crepuscular, meaning they come out
during the subdued lighting of dawn and dusk. They do not like bright light. If
lighting proves to be necessary in order to maintain adequate temperatures, keepers
should either use blue, red or black colored lights to reduce the brightness
within the tank. If no other option is available, low wattage incandescent
"white" lights can be used as long as the snake has adequate hiding areas
and the lights are turned off in the evening. As with the other heat sources, temperatures
should be monitored with an accurate thermometer.
Substrate:
Being
secretive, milk snakes will thrive in particulate substrates that they can bury
themselves in. Acceptable choices are pine and aspen shavings as well as cypress
mulch for larger specimens. Other acceptable substrates include newspaper,
butcher paper, paper towel and indoor - outdoor carpeting (astroturf). Never
use cedar shavings as they exude compounds that can be irritable to the snake's
mucus membranes.
Environment:
The
enclosure of a milk snake should always be dry. It should contain multiple
hiding areas and a sturdy bowl for drinking. Water should be changed at least
once a week.
Diet:
In
nature, milk snakes feed on a number of small vertebrates, including frogs,
small rodents, other snakes and lizards. In captivity, most milk snakes will
eagerly feed on domestically bred, pre-killed mice. Snakes should be well
started on rodents prior to sale in a retail outlet. Never feed your milk snake
foods procured from the wild, as they will transmit harmful internal parasites.
As the snake grows it should be given proportionately larger food items. Babies
with start on pre-killed pink mice, while adults of most sub-species can handle
pre-killed sub-adult mice. A good rule of thumb when feeding any captive snake
is that the food item should not be larger than 1 and 1/2 times the girth of
the snake at its widest point.
Maintenance:
If
kept in a dry cage with a sturdy water bowl, milk snakes can be very easy to maintain.
The cage should be spot cleaned for feces daily if particulate substrates are used
(mulch, shavings etc.) If paper substrates are used they should also be changed
as they are soiled. The entire cage should be cleaned with an antibacterial
dish detergent at least monthly. As stated earlier, the water bowl should be
disinfected with antibacterial soap and changed at least weekly.
Other
references or recommended reading:
The
General Care and Maintenance of Milk Snakes, Robert W. Applegate, Advanced
Vivarium
Systems, 1992.