I realize contributing to the demize of one of our ophidian friends is controversial, but I had some reasons for wanting to keep this snake, and to share what I've learned. Also, I guess being in this hobby for many years makes us a little hardened.



When I first started out I couldn't bare to kill a mouse to feed my pet snake. I had to let the snake constrict it. Of course, frogs, worms, and other things were, ok. Now, I don't see much difference bt. a mouse and a red-belly, mostly because those snakes are so common on our property, and a big part of the food chain around here.



I still didn't like feeding red-bellies to the milk snake, but did on the hopes it would feed on thawed mice this spring. I've thought a lot about Eastern milks in the wild. I've had many before for very short times. It seems the neonates almost always feed on small snakes in our area. Even large milks will usually only take fairly small mice and other rodents, along with other snakes.



Another thing I've noticed is that the small milks are a little easier to brumate. Adults from n. MI are often too set in their ways to be able to acclimate well, so the yearling milk was a perfect subject for my project, if I could get it to take pinks in the spring. Also, I posted to share this info with others with similar interests.



I'm hoping to tame this milk down and make a pet out of it. I don't plan to feed it any more small snakes.



TC

[ Hide Replies ]

• My Eastern, now eating pinks (old pic)... - Terry Cox, Sat May 31 06:57:21 2003
• RE: My Eastern, now eating pinks (old pic)... - haddachoose1, Sat May 31 11:43:50 2003
• not all easterns are difficult feeders - mike z, Sat May 31 17:39:42 2003
• RE: My Eastern, now eating pinks (old pic)... - lbrat, Sun Jun 1 09:42:30 2003
• Thanks for the comments and kind words... - Terry Cox, Sun Jun 1 20:34:10 2003