Female milk snakes should lay between 5 and 16 eggs. Two males should never be together or else they will fight to the death. When you have them meet, they should breed within a week, and be separated again.
Reptile hibernation, or brumation is not needed, but bringing down the temperature about 15F will help them get into the mood when you raise the temperatures back up at the beginning of March. There is nothing much to cleaning a milk snake's cage. Replace the water in the water bowl once a week, and all substrates should be replaced once every 3 months or when soiled. A water bowl is a must and should be big enough for the snake to comfortably be able to get in and out of, and the water should be replaced at least once a week. Hot rocks of any kind should be avoided because they have a reputation of getting extremely hot in some places, and have burnt many reptiles. A UV bulb is not needed because they hide a lot, and will not benefit from it. Heat lamps are better suited than under tank heaters (UTH) because they can burn themselves if they burrow down too far with a UTH. Milk snakes do not need any scalding temperatures, and a basking spot should stay from 80-85F. Sand and dirt cannot be burrowed into as easily and can be swallowed causing impaction. Bed-a-beast works well, and for hatchlings, they should start off on paper towels. Cedar and pine shavings are toxic to all reptiles, and should be avoided. Milk snakes enjoy burrowing and hiding in their substrate, and the best to use is cypress mulch or aspen shavings. Adults will need a 20-30 gallon tank, and for every milk snake, add 15 gallons.
As milk snakes grow, so should their enclosure. Baby milk snakes do not need very much room. Milk snakes, like most other snakes, are expert escape artists so a tight-fitting lid with a lock is necessary. If you provide too big of a hide, your snake might feel exposed and vulnerable. They like tight spaces, but they should still be comfortable. Milk snakes can be shy, and need at least three hides in their tank. Hatchlings should be fed every five to seven days and adults every ten. The size of mouse should never be more than 125% of its width, or else it will be regurgitated. Hatchlings should take pinkie mice, or mice with no fur. They will both carry extra parasites and live mice can hurt your snake.Īs the snake gets older, the size of mouse they need will get larger, and you may even get rats. In captivity the most appropriate food to feed a milk snake is frozen/thawed mice. Milk snakes in the wild will eat anything from frogs to small lizards. If you handle them after a meal, they will most likely regurgitate. Give milk snakes a couple days after they eat before handling. After some time, the snake will adjust, and you can have painlessly longer sessions of holding. The snake may attempt to escape at first or release a smelly but harmless odor. If you have a feisty snake, hold it for a minute or so and put it back in its tank. If you get bit, place the snake back in its tank and wash off the bite with soap and water. Hatchlings are more likely to bite because we are so much bigger than them. Be gentle when handling and it will not lash out. It will already be stressed out about its new home, and trying to hold it will not help its attitude. Give your snake a week or two after you get it before you start handling it. Different sub-species of milk snakes may be naturally large and chunky like the Pueblan Black and Mexican Milk snake or slender like Nelson's milk snake.
They get to be about as wide as a quarter or more, and will live an average life of 15 years in captivity.
Milk snakes can be anywhere from 3-6 feet long, staying relatively small. If you can care for them properly, they will thrive and flourish within their habitat. They are now mostly captive bred, but buying a wild caught milk snake is still an option. Milk snakes inhabit south Canada and much of northern United States. The toxic sea snakes have these colors arranged differently, but in the wild most predators are fooled by their colorings. The milk snake, (Lampropeltis triangulum) has yellow, red, and black stripes making it appear deadly like sea snakes.
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