Milly our Milk Snake
| Scientific Name | Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis |
| Colourings | Red, Black, and cream/yellow |
| Date of Birth (Approx.) | 3rd June 2005 |
| Gender | Female |
| Country of Origin | Primarily native to the USA (Honduras, Nicaragua, and Northeastern Costa Rica View on Google Earth |
| Habitat | Wide variety of habitats, including forests/woodlands, rocky hillsides, prairies, swamps, farmland and sand dunes. |
| Average Life Span | Approximately 20 years in captivity |
| Alternative Name | None |
| Interesting Facts | Milly is now quite a senior snake and can feel stress and dislikes handling, this is therefore now kept to a minimum and for health checking only. Milk snakes mimic the colour of the highly venomous Coral snake as a form of defense. However, milk snakes are constrictors and not venomous! |
Information & Care
Understanding Milly
Milly came to live with us in 2018 when she was approximately 13 years old as an unwanted snake. Most Milk snakes are gentle but can be stressy. As Milly is both a senior snake and has struggled with handling, she remains with us and cared for but is off limits for client handling. We keep a close eye on her behaviour as she has been known to self-mutilate. We try to give her as stress-free a life as possible.
Milk snakes are constricting snakes that are primarily classified as terrestrial snakes (ground, rather than tree dweller), they prefer to hide amongst the leaf litter. Milk snakes, however, are good swimmers and climbers, so need enrichment that allows climbing. Milly loves to explore her enclosure, can be very active, and use her branches and platforms.
Milk snakes are primarily nocturnal with some crepuscular (dawn and dusk) activity and will therefore on occasions access some natural sunlight (meaning they do need some ultraviolet lights (see later UV requirements).
Milly, like most Milk Snakes, is a solitary species, indeed Milk snakes are known to be ophiophagus (snake eaters) so it would not be safe to keep another snake in her enclosure. Milly therefore lives on her own.
Milk snakes are obligate carnivores, meaning they need to eat the whole animal in order to get the right nutrition. Milk snakes in the wild would eat a wide range of foods, including small lizards, a variety of rodents (mice, gerbils, hamster, other small snakes, birds and lizards eggs).
Milly tends to eat medium to large mice (frozen-thawed), that width wise are a similar width to the largest part of her body (no more than 1.5 times her maximum width), This usually equates to around 10% of the snake’s weight.
Milly requires a feed usually every 10-14 days.
Milly has periods of complete inappetence (not eating), often around breeding time (April to June) and late in the season around November to March, but she remains quite active (often more active than usual).
Vivarium
Milly lives in a 152 x 60 x 60cm wooden vivarium with glass sliding doors.
Heat & Lighting
UVB Shadedweller Lighting (7%) for Fergusson Zone 1/1.5, with a solar meter reading of 0.8-1.2 (average) with a maximum of 3. – on a 12 hour day / night cycle
Luminez LED Bar on a 12 hours day / night cycle
White Python Light (Ceramic Heat emitter) with a temperature range of:
Basking surface temperature: 84°F (29°C)
Warm hide temperature (ambient): 75-80°F (23-27°C)
Cool hide temperature (ambient): 70-73°F (21-23°C)
Nighttime temperature (ambient): 70-73°F (21-23°C)
Milly needs a Hygrometer / Thermometer in the cold end of her vivarium and a thermometer in the warm end to check ambient temperatures.
Humidity: 40%
Substrate
Coir / Husk or Organic top soil with Coarse Orchid Bark, in places deep enough for Milly to fully burrow. Sphagnum moss mixed into the moist hide, near her water bowl achieves a comfortable humidity and allows a place to retreat and to shed. This sphagnum moss must always be kept damp, but the vivarium should be mainly dry as Milk snakes cannot tolerate high humidity.
Milly lives in a 152 x 60 x 60cm wooden vivarium with glass sliding doors.
Heat & Lighting
UVB Shadedweller Lighting (7%) for Fergusson Zone 1/1.5, with a solar meter reading of 0.8-1.2 (average) with a maximum of 3. – on a 12 hour day / night cycle
Luminez LED Bar on a 12 hours day / night cycle
White Python Light (Ceramic Heat emitter) with a temperature range of:
Basking surface temperature: 84°F (29°C)
Warm hide temperature (ambient): 75-80°F (23-27°C)
Cool hide temperature (ambient): 70-73°F (21-23°C)
Nighttime temperature (ambient): 70-73°F (21-23°C)
Milly needs a Hygrometer / Thermometer in the cold end of her vivarium and a thermometer in the warm end to check ambient temperatures.
Humidity: 40%
Substrate
Coir / Husk or Organic top soil with Coarse Orchid Bark, in places deep enough for Milly to fully burrow. Sphagnum moss mixed into the moist hide, near her water bowl achieves a comfortable humidity and allows a place to retreat and to shed. This sphagnum moss must always be kept damp, but the vivarium should be mainly dry as Milk snakes cannot tolerate high humidity.
Milly loves to hide when resting, but to climb and explore when not. She has hides at both the cool end and the hot end of her vivarium, with low level fake plants to cover the majority of the enclosures for a sense of security.
She has a large climbing branch, a dolls chair for a high platform and a moist hide with sphagnum moss. She has a large water bowl that is big enough for her to soak in, should she wish to. Milly’s favourite places are under her moist hide or in it, during shedding.
She has a large climbing branch, a dolls chair for a high platform and a moist hide with sphagnum moss. She has a large water bowl that is big enough for her to soak in, should she wish to. Milly’s favourite places are under her moist hide or in it, during shedding.
– Check doors are closed / secure, Milly requires glass locks, as she is an escape artist!
– Check UV lights has is on (UVI reading is ideal at 1)
– Check basking spot temperature is around 84°F (29°C)
– Check ambient temperature is in range (21-23C/70-73F)
– Check humidity is in range (40%-50%), but humid hide is moist
– Water change (use reptisafe)
Daily
Spot clean, when faeces are seen
Weekly
This includes checking all through the enclosure and removing any faeces, plus:
– The water bowl should be thoroughly washed and disinfected using F10, vivarium clean
– Glass doors should be cleaned inside and out (inside with white wine vinegar)
– The humid hide should be refreshed (new, or rinsed sphagnum moss, ensuring no moulding is evident on the moss)
Quarterly
Deep clean (unless the vivarium has been changed to bio active)
This includes removing all of the old substrate and disposing, fully clean the bottom and sides of the vivarium and disinfect. Remove all hides and enrichment when appropriate and disinfect using F10 (not for wood!). Refill substrate, ensuring adequate depth/ moisture.
Spot clean, when faeces are seen
Weekly
This includes checking all through the enclosure and removing any faeces, plus:
– The water bowl should be thoroughly washed and disinfected using F10, vivarium clean
– Glass doors should be cleaned inside and out (inside with white wine vinegar)
– The humid hide should be refreshed (new, or rinsed sphagnum moss, ensuring no moulding is evident on the moss)
Quarterly
Deep clean (unless the vivarium has been changed to bio active)
This includes removing all of the old substrate and disposing, fully clean the bottom and sides of the vivarium and disinfect. Remove all hides and enrichment when appropriate and disinfect using F10 (not for wood!). Refill substrate, ensuring adequate depth/ moisture.
Did you know?
Milk snakes are thought to have been given their name, due to being found in cow sheds on farms, and it was once believed they were ‘drinking the milk’. However, we now know it is more likely they were hunting the rodents living on the farms.
Health Check & Emergencies
Like all our animals, Milly should be regularly checked to make sure she is in good condition and healthy. The following form should be completed at least once a month. You will be prompted to complete an animal medical record should any answer cause concern.
This is a table showing the Yes/No answers of previous submissions. If the full data submission is required, this must be done from the website backend.
Milly will need a vet if she has any (non-minor) scale damage that poses a risk of infection, or has any lumps (possible impaction), behavioural changes or any burns. If Milly begins self-mutilation (usually biting her own tail) that does not cease, or becomes widespread / looking to be at risk of infection then check stress levels, provide first aid and / or seek veterinary support.
See Millie’s first aid for self-injurious bites section.
On health checking, if there are any areas of cause for concern, then make an appointment at Chine House Vets.
● The snake’s behaviour changes suddenly
● The snake eats or drinks less, or is losing weight
● There is discharge from the snake’s nose or mouth
● The snake has trouble shedding, or there are bits of old skin remaining after the rest of the skin has shed. Monty does not shed easily, so increase humidity to 80% at shedding time, and if necessary, assist shedding with moist towel
● The snake’s droppings are runny or have red in them
See Millie’s first aid for self-injurious bites section.
On health checking, if there are any areas of cause for concern, then make an appointment at Chine House Vets.
● The snake’s behaviour changes suddenly
● The snake eats or drinks less, or is losing weight
● There is discharge from the snake’s nose or mouth
● The snake has trouble shedding, or there are bits of old skin remaining after the rest of the skin has shed. Monty does not shed easily, so increase humidity to 80% at shedding time, and if necessary, assist shedding with moist towel
● The snake’s droppings are runny or have red in them
Supplies & Reference
Here are the regular supplies list for our reptiles. Links are provided to 3rd party websites and are subject to change.
| Item | Where to buy |
|---|---|
| Heating & Lighting | |
| Luminez UVB Shadedweller Replacement Bulb | Monkfield Reptile | Swell UK |
| White Python Ceramic Heater | Internet Reptile |
| Thermometer, Hydrometer (3-Pack) | Amazon |
| Substrate | |
| Type 1 – Coarse Husk | Monkfield Reptile |
| Type 2 – Orchid Bark (25L) | Monkfield Reptile |
| Type 3 – Organic Topsoil (50L) | Wickes |
| Food & Water | |
| Reptisafe water dechlorinator | Monkfield Reptile |
| Frozen Rodents Mice (medium) 16-20g Large Mice (25 pack, >31g) | Monkfield Reptile |
| Sphagnum-Moss | Monkfield Reptile |
| Item | Reference Link |
|---|---|
| How to use the LumenIZE App | YouTube (Arcadia) |
| WhitePython Heat Guard & Reflector Installation | YouTube (White Python) |