Heat/Light: Added light is not necessary if temperatures can be maintained within the desired ranges with a heat pad. This thermal gradient will allow the snake to choose the temperature that suits its immediate needs. 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. Unless they are being brumated (hibernated) milk snakes should always have access to warmer localized temperatures to aid in digestion, immune function and metabolism. The air temperature may be allowed to drop to 65 to 70 degrees F. In all cases, the opening to the enclosure must be secure or the snake will escape.īeing a temperate to a sub-tropical species, milk snakes will do well with daytime ambient air temperatures ranging from 78 to 82 degrees F. Adults can be successfully maintained in 16' by 24' plastic sweater boxes or larger glass aquaria, 20 to 30 gallon long tanks. Baby milk snakes will do well in either plastic shoebox containers or small glass aquaria, 2 1/2 to 5 gallons. 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. Their enclosure should reflect these characteristics. Because of their desire to squeeze into the tiniest of cracks and crevices, they are also born escape artists. This snake starts out tri-colored but turns into a completely patternless black snake by two years of age.ĭepending on the sub-species, milk snakes can be either heavy bodied (Pueblan, Black and Mexican) or slim (Sinaloan, Nelson's and Scarlet Kingsnake).Įnclosure: Milk snakes are secretive animals that prefer to conceal themselves. The last pattern type belongs only to the black milk snake L. 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. 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. Life Span: 20 + years, average is 15 years. elapsoides, the Scarlet Kingsnake to 16' to 48' for L. Native to: Southeastern Canada to northern South America It is recommend that a concerted effort be made to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the animals of interest. New information is being developed daily. This document is for guidance only and should not be used as the sole source of information. © 2001 - 2002 by Western New York Herpetological Society

Sinoloan king snake escape