Milk Snake Care Guide

Natural History - Milk snakes can be found from Canada to Central America, and almost everywhere in between. Milk Snakes are a species of kingsnake, with over 20 different subspecies. The good news is, even though Milk Snakes can be found in such varied climates and come in so many different subspecies under human care, they can all thrive with about the same parameters. While they all can do well with about the same care, I still find it important to understand what species of animal we are caring for to understand their needs fully. This care information is meant for broad use and baseline understanding, but should be dialed in by understanding your species further. 

Behavior- Milk Snakes are considered to be secretive and reclusive in the wild, mostly being nocturnal, but with proper acclimation and patience under human care, they become bold and engaging partners. Milk Snakes tend to do best and acclimate more comfortably with ample places to hide and feel secure. This tendency of reclusiveness can present as “flighty” behavior while handled until they begin to gain confidence. Go slow, and let them grow and thrive at their own pace. The bright coloration that draws many people to them is also their main means of defense. Milk Snakes have evolved those astounding colors as a form of mimicry, making them resemble venomous snakes such as the coral snake. Milk Snakes are also active snakes that thrive with lots of places to climb and hide. They respond well to a change in environment and seem to benefit from environmental enrichment, such as a change in decor, and need things to climb and explore. 

Before You Buy

As always, you need to make sure to do your full due diligence in order to prepare for your new family member. Our article titled “What does it mean to be prepared?” goes a little more in-depth on this topic if you want further explanation than we get into here.  Being prepared means all supplies are purchased and set up, an appropriate diet has been secured, emergency plans have been thought through, a vet has been found and confirmed to have experience with your species, and you have done your research that gets deeper than this article to have an understanding of their wild behavior and husbandry needs. 

Husbandry Needs 

Heating- Like all reptiles, Milk Snakes require a proper temperature gradient in order to thrive. Because they cannot thermoregulate internally, they rely on the environmental temperature to do so. By providing the appropriate temperature range, they can move and regulate their body as needed to thrive. Once again, Milk snakes come from a wide range of climates, but I have had great success keeping many different subspecies within the temperature ranges below. 

Basking: 85-90 

Warm side: 80 to 85

Cool side: 75-80

Night time temperature: 70-75

Milk Snakes are a hardy species and can do well at a wide range of parameters, but these should be your target temperatures. Wherever you land on this range, they do well with a 10-degree temperature range between the warm and cool side and with a 5-10 degree drop at night. I find milk snakes enjoy basking, doing well with a heat lamp despite being classified as nocturnal.  

Humidity- Milk Snakes tend to do best in a humidity range of 40-60%. In most places, this can be an easy range to achieve, but if not, it can be easily managed by doing things such as changing the substrate to one more suited to hold humidity, adding safe leaf litter, more frequent misting, or a change in air flow in your enclosure. Always be careful when limiting air flow; stagnant air can greatly increase your risk of respiratory infection. Therefore, I recommend saving this option for last. 

Your snake may require an increase in humidity while going through the shedding process. This can be done by raising your environmental humidity by 10-15% by increasing misting or by the addition of a moist hide. This can be easily achieved by adding wet sphagnum moss to a hide, thus creating a warm moist place to shed in peace.

Lighting- Milk Snakes are active snakes that enjoy exploration. In my experience, they enjoy basking under a heat lamp. There have been multiple studies that suggest UVB is beneficial for snakes as well. While not crucial for snakes to thrive, the research shows it helps support a strong immune system and can increase activity and potentially cognitive function. Because of this, I recommend the use of both a heat lamp as well as providing UVB to your Milk Snake. 

Enclosure size- This one is simple, as much space as you can properly provide appropriate temperature gradients. Milk Snakes are very active snakes, and I have never seen one not explore every corner of their enclosure routinely. As a minimum, the enclosure at least needs to be the length of them. But once again, the bigger the better, and your milk snake will thank you. 

Feeding- Like all snakes, milk snakes are carnivorous and digest their prey whole. In the wild, they feed on a wide variety of items but do well on a staple of rodents under human care. I like to provide variety when possible, offering things such as quail chicks as well. I generally feed once a week for their lifetime, but a lot of guides suggest feeding every 5 days as hatchlings and every 7-10 days as adults.