Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I live in south eastern Missouri and i'v been trying to find a red milk snake in the wild. I'v checked under pieces of tin wood and under rocks on wooded hill sides on my property and in the only ceder glade on my property that i know of are they around big rocks that arent flippible. am i looking in the wrong places? Can someone please give me some tips on finding one of these snakes. I havent seen a single one are they rare?

Thanks,

I understand how you feel. You will find a milksnake if you
don't give up. They are more common than you think, but they spend most of their time under ground. When, and where you look
makes all the difference. Spend time flipping rocks, plywood, etc. when the temp. is between 75-85 degrees. This will be early in the day. Overcast days are very good, because the snakes may remain under the debris for extended periods of time without overheating. After heavy rain fall is without a doubt my favorite time to look. Find debris that offers a dry retreat, and you will have better odds of finding your snake. Edges of fields, powerlines, and railroad beds are all great places to look. Be patient, and enjoy your quest. Keep in mind that Bees, and Wasps can pose a real danger to any herper with allergies. Make sure you are prepared for them to show up under that perfect rock, or piece of plywood. Good luck, and be safe.

The thing about syspila is that they are primarily active during the spring and fall. You will see the highest numbers of milks from mid April through mid May. You will also have another chance from Early September through mid October...Just flip rocks in glades during these times and dont give up. You must realize that syspila are a moisture dependant animal who relies heavily on sun exposure. You want to flip rocks that are surrounded by prairie grass. Prairie grass is indicative of good sun exposure, so if you are seeing this grass along side the rocks, you're in a good area. The prime temps for syspila are between 55 and 70 degrees. Remember that rain, when mixed with these temps and the seasons mentioned above, will cause these snakes to use flipable rocks. Milks are highly fossorial, but they are still findable right now. You can find them by flipping rocks during or after rains when the temps are below 75 degrees. This is how I've found them in the months of June, July and August for many years in the past. Good luck.