How to Take Care of a Pueblan Milk Snake Properly

Many people purchase pets without knowing how to properly care for them. A lot of research is needed to care for the animal properly. Reptiles are a lot more work, due to most people not knowing how to properly care for them unless they've had one in the past.

This article will help you to care for your pueblan milk snake properly.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Secure enclosure
• Heat Source
• Substrate
• Hiding structure (cave, box, etc)
• Food

1. You will need a sturdy, secure, enclosure for your milk snake. It is very important that there are no holes, or areas that will allow the milk snake to escape. Any small opening is perfect to allow the milk snake to slither through so be careful. If it is a baby, you can use a plastic shoebox with a few holes (real tiny), or a 5gallon tank. As an adult you definitely want a 20-30 gallon breeder tank. (Breeder tanks are longer, and wider. No matter what your choice is make sure that it is secure.
   
   Always make sure the enclosure is kept dry. Pueblan milk snakes like to hide, so several hiding boxes work well for them. You will also need a sturdy water dish, and change the water at least once a week or more often if dirty.

2. Heat! Unless in hibernation, snakes like to be warm. Milk snakes specifically need at least 78 degrees to 82 degrees. They do like it to drop 65 degrees to 70 degrees at night. You can use a heating pad, to bring up the temperature. You don't want to cover the entire bottom of the cage as there will be times that your pet will want to slither over to the cooler spot in the cage, and other times they like to stay on the warm spot. They need heat to be able to metabolize their food. You can use a light as a heat source but because milk snakes like darker areas, make sure you use a red or black light so the light doesn't effect them.

3. Substrate is very important for your pueblan milk snake. Aspen shavings are still up for debate. But they do like the substrates that they can bury themselves into. They like to be a little more secretive. Other acceptable substrate is indoor/outdoor carpet, sand, paper towels, newspaper, or butcher paper.

4. Food. You will need to provide your snake with food. Many people feel you should get your pueblan milk snake used to pre-killed pinkies as a baby, so that when they start eating larger food the food won't harm the snake. A mouse can bite a snake that might not be too hungry at the moment. A mouse can also struggle during feeding time and scratch your snake's eye, or do a ton of damage to your pet. If they are used to eating pre-killed food you can always keep a stock in your freezer, and know that it won't harm your milk snake. They eat every 7-10 days.

5. Handling your Pueblan Milk Snake. It's very important to get your new baby used to being handled. They are very nervous and shy and might bite, but as they get older and the more they are handled the sweeter they can become. Handle him as much as possible, just give him time after feeding him before you handle him.

Tips & Warnings

• Never squeeze your snake, just let him run through your fingers.
• The more you handle your pueblan milk snake the more used to being handled the snake becomes.
• Pueblan Milk Snakes don't usually bite as adults, but are shy and nervous. They might bite if provoked.
• Be extremely careful that your enclosure is escape proof and secure!
• Never use Pine or Cedar it will kill your snake!
• Know your snake intimately so that you will be able to tell when there is something wrong with your snake and take him to the vet.
• Remember live food can harm your pet.

[1kimmi]

on 11/29/2008 Great information...really enjoy your articles!

[Pamelateda]

on 11/29/2008 Great article with lots of information. Thanks for writing it!

[deathgirl531]

on 8/11/2008 thanks so much this article is great i just got one so i need some tips on it!!!!!!

[Limowreck]

on 8/5/2008 What an interesting article. It makes for a fascinating read! This information is excellent and well organized. Can't wait to see more from this author. 5 stars!