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I had a Pueblan Milksnake in with my California Kingsnake out of ignorance the other day. They were the same size. Now, My pueblan Milksnake didn't seem to mind my Cal King in the tank.
But my Cal King was exstatic!!.......As soon as my Cal king had the chance, he bit my Pueblan's head and began to coil around him. My question is, why didn't my milksnake react as if my Cal king was food but instead, wanted to get along with my cal king? And Why did my Cal King, IMMEDIATELY ATTACKED my pueblan? Do milksnakes really eat other snakes as a primary source of their diet or is it just a saying because they are a subspecies of a kingsnake?

Why did you put them together?

It was out of Ignorance!........I didn't know until after the fact....NOW I KNOW!!

Well I hope you got them separated with no harm done. I know It's a terrible feeling when our ignorance causes problems to one of our animals. We are all only human and learning things along the way, but the hard lessons are not fun! Best of luck to you and your snakes.

My question is, why didn't my milksnake react as if my Cal king was food but instead, wanted to get along with my cal king?

I was walking down the sidewalk the other day and I passed another person. I resisted the urge to reach down, pick up a piece of stone and bash his head in because I wanted to "get along" with him. Similar analogy. Your pueblan wasn't trying to "get along", he was just ignoring the kingsnake.

And Why did my Cal King, IMMEDIATELY ATTACKED my pueblan?

Because kingsnakes eat other snakes.

Do milksnakes really eat other snakes as a primary source of their diet

Some populations of milksnake eat other snakes, others don't.

or is it just a saying because they are a subspecies of a kingsnake?

They aren't a subspecies of kingsnake. They are a species of the genus Lampropeltis.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

I'm glad to see we're in support of other herpers, some just a bit more abrasive however. I agree that it wasn't THE best thing to do, and I support this, or any, individual to DO THEIR HOMEWORK before giving in to such an impulse.

In other words: PLEEEEEASE do your homework first before keeping any snakes. Sounds like you're jumping into the deep end of the pool and forgot that you can't swim!!! Not a wise decision.
Keep your snakes happy and buy a book (or read a book) about the snakes that you intend to keep- Pleeease!

Ok, enough ramblin' Not intended to start a war, but merely replying to what I just read. Believe me, I've probably made more mistakes than you have!!! - So, having said all that, I do wish you all the best with your animals and don't be afraid to ask anything in the future. There ARE a lot of experienced guys/gals on here that would be glad to assist . . .

Zee

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"I am an expert on everything, but I know so little and have so much to learn!" -Carsten "Zee" Zoldy-

Are you sure....OreoKing???...as in oreo publan or pueblan/king??? Hey, just kiddin' but be careful around here ya' might get spanked! But we all just want to help...well, most of us!
Todd Hughes

Zee, and that photo is really nice. Just out of curiosity, is that an Eastern or another type of Kingsnake? Thanks.
Jim

What he did might be normal if you went to pet store I used to go to. Its one of those chain type pet stores. They house all baby snakes same size together .
People see that and think they can to. They housed an albino CA king with a boa both roughly 1o inches but the boa was fatter.
The king ate the boa overnight. Interestingly enough they have had other milks together (sinolan,pueblans) and it has only been the kings that have eaten other snakes according to what the manager told me.
Amazingly they still house same size snakes together except kings.