Common Name: Milk snake

Scientific Name: Lampropeltis spp.

General Information

Milk snakes are a small ground dwelling species originating from the United States, the southern parts of Ontario and Quebec, down through Central America and parts of South America, across their natural range they are found in most habitats including arid deserts, swamplands, farmlands, grasslands, pine and deciduous forests. Milk snakes are a popular group in captivity, there docile demeanour, striking colours, ease of care and tolerance of handling are major factors in this. In captivity four to six length is the average size that a milk snake will attain, with the females becoming slightly larger than the males. With the correct care milks can potentially be a long lived pet, averaging between 10 and 20 years with some individuals exceeding 30 years. The scientific name for the genus of milk snakes is Lampropeltis. Lampro is derived from the Greek word for "shiny" and peltis, Greek for "shields", a name that well describes the glossy, smooth, well-defined scales, of these snakes.

Enclosure

Housing a milk is simple, being a small species of snake there is no requirement for huge vivariums as with larger species, for a youngster up to a about 14 months a small vivarium will suffice of about 12 inches square, once it reaches about two feet in length it will need to be moved, with most people upgrading to a 3 or 4 food vivarium, as with any reptile good ventilation is important. It should also be noted that king snakes cannot be house communally as they are ophiophagous, meaning that in nature they predate upon other reptiles, and will also do so in captivity, even to members of the same species and siblings.

Heat and Light

As milk snakes come from a warmer climate than our own and are cold blooded they rely on their environment to control body temperature, so it is essential to provide them with additional heating. There are two main options when it comes to heating the vivarium, either the space can be heated, or the floor can be heated. In smaller vivariums we recommend floor heating, this is achieved by using a combination of a heat mat (positioned at one end of the vivarium) and a thermostat, with the warm end of the vivarium being maintained around 86-88oF, and the overall ambient between 80-84oF. In larger or taller vivariums it is more beneficial to space heat, rather than ground heat, this can be achieved by using either an infra-red bulb or ceramic heater, in combination with a thermostat, applying the same temperature gradient as required when using a heat mat. Being a nocturnal species milk snakes have no requirement for UVB light, but do benefit from exposure to light, with 10-12 hours of light per day being adequate.

Substrate

There are many options available when considering substrate for a milk snake, beech chips, orchid bark, or aspen bedding are among the most popular. All substrates should be spot cleaned as soon as possible and completely changed monthly.

Shelter

Milk snakes are primarily nocturnal and in the wild spend a lot of time hiding either underground, or amongst debris, so a peaceful retreat to sleep and hide in during the day is essential. The most important factor to consider when choosing a hide is that snakes like to feel secure, so the shelter should provide a dark and snug area to retreat to. Shelters can be as elaborate as you choose, but the most popular choices are either commercially available caves or pieces of cork bark.

Water and Humidity

Originating from North America, the milks requirement for humidity is low and should be maintained at 40-55%, this is the normal humidity within most homes, but if required spraying the vivarium a couple of times a week will raise humidity sufficiently. Fresh water should be provided at all times, it is important that the bowl is sufficiently heavy so as not to be turned over by the snake.

Food

The diet of the milk snake typically consists of rodents, and in captivity they are usually fed a diet of rats or mice. The frequency at which the snake is fed depends on the size of the prey item. Hatchling snakes are normally started on defrosted pink mice, feeding at five to seven day intervals, as the size of the food increases so does the intervals of feeding, with an adult milk eating every 7-10 days. As a general rule the prey size should be just wider than the thickest part of the snake, and it is important that the snake is left to digest its meal for at least two days before handing. It is not uncommon for milks to go off their food, particularly over the winter, this is generally not cause for concern as these snakes can go several weeks without food and show no ill effects, if the food is uneaten just discard it and try again on the next scheduled feed date.

Shedding

The intervals between shedding vary with the age of the snake; a growing snake will shed much more frequently than an adult. Just before each shed the colour of the snake will become dull, the eyes will go blue and milky and the belly will turn slightly pink, it is a good idea to provide a damp hide and increase the humidity during this process. A piece of cork bark in the vivarium will be of benefit at this time as it will provide an abrasive surface on which the snake can remove its old skin. Normally the snake will shed its skin in one piece, if this does not occur and skin is retained for more than a few days bathe the snake in luke warm water every day until the shed is complete.

Handling

Milks are very tolerant and can be handled daily as long as they are not allowed to get cold, and they have not recently eaten, if you are experiencing feeding problems with your snake refrain from handling it until regular feeding is achievedWe hope that this care sheet has been of assistance and if you have any further enquiries do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail. info@superpetsdirect.com