*20 gallon tank or larger, or equivalent-sized reptile cage. A tank which is long and low is better than one that is tall, as these snakes live on the ground, and do not climb a lot. Some species and subspecies of kings and milks may require a 50 gallon long. Honduran milk snakes can reach a length of up to 8 feet.
*A tight-fitting (preferably locking) metal screen or mesh top. Snakes are expert escape artists, so don't use anything they could possibly pry open.
*A radiant heat source. Either an overhead heat lamp, or an undertank heater. This should be small enough to cover no more than half the cage. A full-spectrum flourescent reptile lamp is not necessary for a snake, as they can metabolize vitamin D from their prey. Hot rocks are not recommended for any reptile species, and are not designed for use with snakes. If you get an undertank heater, you MUST get a thermostat or rheostat to control it--these devices get too hot to be used without a controller.
*If you have selected an overhead heat lamp, an appropriate bulb for the lamp, such as a reptile daylight bulb.
*A water bowl deep enough for the snake to submerge in to soak.
*A substrate. A reptile cage carpet works well--buy two, so you can wash one while you use the other. You can also use a coconut-fiber based reptile bedding, or aspen shavings. It is also possible to use newspaper or paper towels. Do not use fine silica sand, aquarium gravel, corncob, or other beddings that might stick to prey and be eaten and cause an impaction of the digestive system, nor any that might be excessively drying. The substrate should be fairly dry, as excessive dampness can cause skin infections.
*Two temperature gauges (thermometer).
*One humidity gauge (hygrometer).
*Two hide boxes or caves, large enough for the snake to fit inside completely, but small enough that the snake can feel secure. They should fit closely around the snake. You may need to get larger ones as the snake grows, if you get your snake when it is small.
Optional equipment:
*Low, sturdy climbing branches, plastic plants, or other decorations (be sure they are too large to be eaten, and do not stack rocks which might fall if pushed).
*Backdrop for cage, if using aquarium.
*Feeding tongs--hand feed your reptiles without getting nipped.
*Book on king or milk snake care (necessary if you plan to breed them, a good idea even if you don't).
*A timer for your lighting and heating.
*Thermostat or rheostat for controlling heating devices.
Setting up the enclosure:
Rinse out the cage with very hot water, and dry it. Place the substrate in the bottom. Place one hiding cave one one end of the cage. Place the other hiding cave on the other end of the cage. Place watering dish wherever you like, as well as the other decorations. Be aware you will need to change the water daily, so don't cover the bowl or place things that will make it hard to take out. Make sure that there is always an available water supply, particularly for hatchling snakes, which are delicate and prone to dehydration. Stick one thermometer down low on one end of the cage, on the inside of the cage so that you can read it. Stick the other thermometer on the opposite side of the cage, either at a ground level or if you have placed branches, at the level of a sturdy basking spot that the snake might climb to (if using overhead heat). Place the humidity gauge down low in about the middle of the cage. If you are using an undertank heater, place this beneath one end of the cage, as far to that side as possible. If you are using an overhead heat source, screw in the bulb, and place the lamp on top of the screen on one side, as far to that side as possible (take care not to overlap plastic tank edges), so that it is pointing down into the tank.
Turn on the lamp, and leave the tank for about an hour. Come back, and read the temperature gauges. The warmest area of the cage should be around 88 to 90 degrees Farenheit on the surface of the substrate. Some Northern species will do better with a basking spot of 85 degrees Farenheit--if your snake spends most of its time on the cooler side of the tank, adjust the temperatures downward slightly. The cool side should be no more than 80 degrees. If the cage is cooler than this, you will need to either add another heat source (if using an undertank heater), or use a higher wattage bulb in your overhead lamp. If the cage is warmer than this, you will need a thermostat or rheostat for your undertank heater, to lower the temperature, or use a lower wattage bulb in your overhead light. Most undertank heaters get up to 110 degrees, so a rheostat is necessary. Checking the actual temperature of the cage floor under the substrate is highly recommended when using an undertank heater, as a burrowing animal might be burned if the cage floor becomes too hot. The surface should be no warmer than 95 degrees on the warm side of the cage. You can do this using a thermometer with a remote probe, and placing the probe on the cage floor. It is important to set this up before putting your snake into the enclosure, and preferably before bringing it home. A thermostat or rheostat is a good idea for regulating heat lamps as well, particularly if your indoor temperatures are subject to changes.
Most reptiles, including king and milk snakes, do best with a night time temperature drop. If your room stays above 70 degrees Farenheit, you can simply turn off the heating elements at night, or when you are done viewing your animals. If it drops too much lower (below 70), you may need to leave a heating source on overnight. Check your night time temperatures, and try to arrange it so that they fall 5 to 10 degrees at night. Try to provide your snake with very regular day and night schedules (a timer comes in handy). 12 hours of each is good.
Never feed a snake a live rodent. If the snake refuses thawed rodents (available at some pet stores, and through mail order), you may try pre-killing a live rodent for them. A live rodent can VERY easily injure a snake, in the close confines of a cage, and they also may transmit internal parasites. In the wild, the snake can escape from overly aggressive prey, but wild snakes are still occasionally injured. You do not want this to happen to your pet. Purchase frozen rodents of appropriate size (these should be as big around as the widest part of the snake). King and milk snakes can be convinced to eat frozen/thawed rodents with a bit of patience, if they aren't already eating them when you get them. If your snake refuses a frozen/thawed mouse, try offering a rodent that you purchased live, but have pre-killed for the snake. A frozen/thawed mouse can be refrozen once if it has been out no longer than 1/2 hour. Baby rodents may contain less calcium than adults...some people recommend dipping their hindquarters in calcium powder before feeding them, and there is no problem with doing this. Always verify that your king or milk snake IS feeding on rodents before you purchase it. These snakes often need to be started out on prey scented with a lizard or frog, or even given a lizard as a first meal, as they do not normally eat rodents in the wild. It is the responsibility of the breeder to ensure the hatchlings they produce are feeding on rodents before they sell them to the pet trade, but not all breeders are responsible...always insist on seeing the animal eat before you bring it home.
To feed your snake, place the food in a seperate container, and put the snake into that container with its prey. This will prevent the snake from associating the opening of its cage, or your smell, with its food. Also, be sure to wash your hands very thoroughly after handling your snake's food, before you put your hands near your snake. Snakes have strong predatory instincts that are triggered by movement, and the scent of prey. Your snake may bite you if its predatory instinct is triggered by your hands, either because they smell like food, or because it's used to food coming when its cage is opened. This is not the snake's fault--it will usually let go of you immediately if you don't smell like food...it may hang on and try to eat your fingers if your hand DOES smell like food, because it doesn't yet realize that it's you. Once it realizes its mistake, it will let go. Bites due to feeding mistakes are the most common bites received by snake owners...they are always the fault of the keeper.
NEVER house more than one king or milk snake in a cage. Wild king and milk snakes prey on lizards, frogs, rodents, and other snakes. King snakes in particular favor eating other snakes. Attempted (or successful) cannibalism is virtually a certainty with some species, and a strong risk with others. Breeding these snakes requires careful attention to brumation, and observation of their behavior. Even experienced breeders sometimes lose king or milk snakes to cannibalism during breeding attempts.
Once every few months, completely clean the cage-remove all the furniture, throw out any loose bedding, and wash everything thoroughly with soap and water. Then soak it in a 10% bleach solution for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse very thoroughly, and let it dry. Dry any wood furniture in the sun, and replace it after it's completely dried and the bleach odor is gone. Do this also when preparing a cage that's been used before for a new animal.
About King and Milk Snakes:
Many of these snakes are a good choice for a "first pet" snake. They are generally docile, hardy, and easy to care for. A few species may be a bit more nervous or nippy by tendency.Adult snakes vary in size according to species and subspecies. Most range between 20 inches in adult length to up to 8 feet or more...the record is held by an Eastern Chain King that reached 82 inches. They can live for around 10 to 15 years, up to a record of 23 years in captivity. It takes most snakes around 3 years to reach breeding size, but they will continue to grow slowly over the course of their lives, once they reach that point. They come in a moderate number of color morphs and patterns, which are available from a large number of breeders--the natural colors of the wild morph are often quite spectacular. Wild caught king or milk snakes are less commonly available, but be sure to verify that the snake you purchase is captive bred--a wild king or milk snake is unlikely to willingly eat rodents, and may be very difficult to establish. A fecal check should be done by a veterinarian some time after you acquire the animal, to identify whether any parasites are present, and treat the snake to eliminate them. Internal parasites can build to lethal levels in captivity, due to continual re-infection, so they must be eliminated promptly.
Baby king and milk snakes will very delicate, and may be snappy, flighty, and defensive. King and milk snakes may also defecate on you, and release a pungent odor from musk glands inside their cloaca. If you work with them and handle them gently for 10 to 20 minutes or so every day, they will become used to you, and cease this defensive behavior. Many king and milk snakes calm down to the point where they may contentedly coil around your hands, without attempting to flee, though most will move through your hands rather than sitting still. Some king and corn snakes will bite. Bites from a king or milk snake will probably bleed, because their teeth are needle sharp, but they will not be painful. King and milk snakes are not venomous, though some milk snakes do indeed mimic the color pattern of the very venomous coral snakes. If you ever find a milk snake in the wild, remember the rule of thumb (which only works in the United States)--red touches black, venom lack. Red touches yellow, kill a fellow. Do not approach or attempt to handle any red, black, and yellow banded snake in coral snake territory unless you are completely sure you know exactly what it is. Coral snakes can be quite docile in demeanor, but if they decide to bite, their venom can kill.
When you first bring your snake home, leave it alone for at least 2 days, without handling it, to allow it to settle in and recover from the stress. Then, you may offer it food (if it has not already eaten just before purchase--wait a week between meals for juvenile snakes)--when it eats, leave it alone for at least 2 days afterward, so that it can digest its food. Handling soon after eating may cause a snake to regurgitate its meal. Never handle a snake that is not eating well, or is ill, unless absolutely necessary. Handling is very stressful for reptiles, even if they are tame and used to you. If a hatchling snake goes longer than 2 weeks without eating, seek veterinary attention. For adults, seek attention if the snake goes without eating for more than 3 or 4 weeks.
To maintain it in the long term, have your snake checked by a veterinarian once a year for parasites or other health problems. If you notice your snake behaving abnormally, particularly if it stops eating, or seems less active than usual, seek medical care for it immediately. Reptiles do not usually show illness until they are seriously ill. Treated quickly, most corn snake illnesses are not serious, the majority being related to parasites or to an infection.
Some king or milk snakes may stop eating for a week or so before shedding their skin, something they will do several times a year (more when they are young). Before shedding, the snake's colors will become faded and dark, and its eyes will become cloudy. The snake is nearly blinded by this pre-shedding condition, and it may be irritable as a result. A snake "in the blue" (close to shedding) should not be handled, as the new skin beneath its old one might be damaged. They will also spend a lot of time soaking in their water dish. This will help loosen the skin so that it comes off easily. A snake's skin should come off in one intact piece. If it does not, the humidity in the cage is too low. Adding an airstone hooked to an air pump in its water dish may help raise the humidity. If your snake has skin retained over its eyes, they will need to be removed by a vet. Skin retained in other areas may be gently removed, after the snake has been placed in a plastic box (with air holes) and wet paper towels for a few hours. It should come off easily--if it does not, don't pull hard, as you may injure the snake. Take it to a vet to have the skin removed. Skin stuck around the snake's tail can cut off circulation, and lead to loss of the tail. Retained eye caps can lead to eye infections, so it's important to inspect the skin every time your snake sheds.
With the proper care, your king or milk snake should thrive problem free for its full lifespan.
© Eclipse Exotics, 2005. Distribute, copy, print, and pass on as you wish. :)