~
nocturnal, terrestrial, carnivorous ~
Cage Size:
Juveniles can be housed in a shoebox size cage or larger.
Adults can be housed in a 20 Gallon Long aquarium or terrarium.
Make sure your cage has a tight fitting lid or even locks closed.
House them separately, they will eat each other.
Heating:
Put a under tank heater (UTH) under 1/3 of the tank.
Maintain a warm side of 81-85 and a cool side at room temperature.
You will need a thermostat to control your heat source (UTH)
and keep the warm side at the correct temperature.
Lighting:
No special lighting is needed for milk snakes.
The ambient room light is enough.
Substrate:
Aspen shavings are the most popular type of bedding to use.
Shredded newspaper also works well. Clean your substrate once a week.
DO NOT USE: Sand, Small Rocks, anything that is dangerous if swallowed.
Furnishings:
Water dish with fresh clean water at all times.
Hiding place or cave. Milk snakes need a hiding place to feel safe.
Humidity:
The humidity should be in the 40% - 60% range.
When a snake turns opaque it is getting ready to shed.
Raise the humidity level to help in the shedding process.
Feeding:
Feed mice or rats (depending on size) to your milk snake.
Choose a rat or mouse that is about the size of the thickest part of the
snake.
Feed your snake once a week. Live or Frozen rodents are acceptable.
Live rodents trigger a feeding response faster than frozen thawed
rodents, but it is recommended to start any snake out on frozen food as
fast as possible, because once they get older they require larger food
and if it's thrown in your pet's tank it may harm your snake.
