Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone! I'm going to an I.R.B.A show in October, and I'm planning on getting another snake. I posted a bunch of questions on milksnakes a few days ago in the milksnake forum and got a bunch of answers. I was deciding on the sub-species of milksnake I was going to get when I started to have second thoughts. My main deterent in getting a milksnake is that the are flightier than many other pet snakes. My initial research showed that they tolerated handling, but now I am reading about how jumpy they are. Anyway, I definetly want to get a kingsnake of some sort, but I'm not sure which kind. Another Cali doesn't really appeal to me, but that is the only kingsnake I can find info on. Right now I'm looking into a Mexican Black or Thayeri Kingsnake. Could someone point me towards a good care sheet? Also, I see a lot of posts involving Thayeri kingsnakes, why are they so appealing? I'm interested in them but can't find a good site to infrom me about them. Sorry for the long post! Thanks a bunch for any replies! - The Gecko Freak
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1.0 Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
0.1 Normal Leopard Gecko
0.1 SHTCT Baldy Leopard Gecko
0.1 SHCT Leopard Gecko
0.0.3 Hypo Leopard Geckos
1.0 African Fat Tailed Gecko
1.1 Crested Geckos
0.1 California Kingsnake
1.1 Cornsnakes
1.0 Ball Python

My experience with a Honduran Milk Snake - it was no jumpier than Cal Kings.

I think it depends a lot on the individual, I've had Cal Kings that are jumpy.

If you want a getula kingsnake that's not a California King, take a look at Slendida (Desert king, aka Sonoran King) - I keep falling more and more in love with them.

What kind of Milk Snake were you thinking of? There are so many different subspecies. Hondurans are nice - they grow rather fast, and mine was an extremely confident snake - never bit me, didn't mind being handled, fed well, etc.
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3.0 WC; 0.2 CB L. getula californiae
0.1 WC; 10 eggs (7/11) Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

i kinda can't agree there, your Honduran may have been special... those i keep were very jumpy hatchlings... they bite, musk and squirm out of your hands, but it all gets better with handling

i've never encounter a calm honduran that was not an adult/sub-adult and even those are jumpy at times.. i love keeping them thou so i can't complain toooo much.

~ZF
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Royal Blue ReptileZ
Home of Bklyn's Finest Brooksi

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signature file edited 4/22/06; contact an admin.

Mine was already 16" at purchase - but I doubt it got much handling before I bought it.
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3.0 WC; 0.2 CB L. getula californiae
0.1 WC; 10 eggs (7/11) Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

with Zenny, triangulum are much more jittery than getula, and i have kept plenty of both to know the diff.

I was thinking about either a Sinaloan or Nelson's milk. Nelson's were suggested by the milksnake board, Sinaloans because I have had good experiences with very calm, easy to handle individuals at shows and reptile stores.
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1.0 Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
0.1 Normal Leopard Gecko
0.1 SHTCT Baldy Leopard Gecko
0.1 SHCT Leopard Gecko
0.0.3 Hypo Leopard Geckos
1.0 African Fat Tailed Gecko
1.1 Crested Geckos
0.1 California Kingsnake
1.1 Cornsnakes
1.0 Ball Python

Milks as a general rule seem a little bit jumpy compared to Kings (always exceptions to the rules like everyone has said) Nelsons are nice. I agree with the recomendation for the Black Milks also. I have one thats a little high strung (still very handleable though) all the others are VERY MELLOW.

As Keith said, Easterns are hard to beat. Also Mexican Black Kings in my experience are some of the nicest laid back Kings I have eve worked with and you don't have to wait for them to turn all black!
Bob

Mexican Black kings are GREAT snakes, one of the best starter snakes (i know you're not a newbie), i can't give you any info on Thayeri never owned one

i keep Brooksi and Goini Kings, Honduran, Sinaloan, Nelsoni, and Pueblan milks... getting some cali kings soon

ever think of a nice Brooksi normal or morph? great snakes, never miss a meal!













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Royal Blue ReptileZ
Home of Bklyn's Finest Brooksi

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signature file edited 4/22/06; contact an admin.

Yes Milks are generally jumpy. They dont always calm down either they seem to just wanna get away. Black Milks on the other hand are the exception to the rule. They can be very mellow and handleable. They rank up there with the most handleable Kings and are very easy to take care of. There are some good care sheets on Black Milksnakes (Lampropeltis Triangulum Gaigeae) on the web.

In regards to handleable Kings Ill list some I think are all around cool for handleability and coolness.

Eastern Kings
Thayeri Kings
Florida Kings
Goini Kings
Outer Banks Kings
Graybanded Kings

Many of the other Common Kings not listed Ive found to be jumpy and snippy as babies but they usually calm down into adulthood. The same can be the case for any snake in the above list but Ive just found them to be more consistantly mellow.

My top 2 of all the mentioned animals for mellowness would be the..

Black Milksnake & Thayeri or Variable Kingsnake

This is only my opinion others list will surely be different.

New Jersey Eastern Kingsnake...

S. Georgia Eastern Kingsnake...

Florida Kingsnake or Brooski King

Juvenile Black Milksnake

Yearling Black Milksnake

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Thayeri are popular for a number of reasons. They are generally very calm and easy to handle, although the young of any species of king can be jumpy. Thayeri stay relatively small, usually less than 3 feet, and come in a huge variety of colors and patterns. It is common to get several different patterns and colors out of the same clutch of eggs, which makes breeding fun. Many thayeri have been selectively bred for generations to have saturated orange or yellow background colors. There is a small, and growing trend by some to re-introduce more "natural" looking thayeri. A basic kingsnake caresheet will do for any species of king.
Thayeri Info

........recommending black milk snakes,i think they are as bullet proof as a snake gets.VPI.COM has a good care and maintenance sheet on them.have fun! TWH

Never had one. I'm sure they're awesome if you want a 6 ft snake!

Don't give up on Milks just yet. Mexican Milksnakes are one of the most calm and docile milks. They grow to around 24-32 inchs in size. My Mex Milk is as calm as any of my Kingsnakes. Also, A follow up on what Keith said in the above post. Thayeri Kings and Grey-banded kings are about as docile as it gets. Both stay around 36 inchs. If you want to go larger, Mexican black, Florida Kings and Eastern Kings are very calm snakes on average. Some can have attitude as babies, but most grow to be very calm, tractable adults. Of course, the best way with any species is handle one before hand, as all snakes are individuals. A few pics below of my Mexican Milk, grey band, and thayeri. I also have a florida king, mexican black, and various eastern kings, with eastern kings being my personal favorites.
Steve

Atta boy Steve That's what I'm talkin' about! Those 3 snakes top out a great selection and the mbk rounds it out nicely for a larger animal. I have thayeri, cals, deserts, specks, easterns,and some goini on the way, along with the nippy bunch of ratsnakes, and some mex. milks. I would say see and handle as many as you can and you will find one you like. You already have cals so you probably have the craziest of the lot. Lots of good ideas, this will be my first year working with east coast animals. Who had the albino prairie kings?
Todd Hughes

Didja check out the mexicana subforum at the top of this page? I like splendida(desert) and holbrooki(speckled) kings but the w.c. musk a bit at first, not a problem with me. Don't leave out the calligasters (prairie) and nigrita (Mexican black) are probably the mellowest snakes I have when they settle in. Agressive feeders but not biters. My .02. Mexican milks are for me, not spazoid and modest size with great colors. Mine aren't flighty. I would go with c.b. if you are looking for a calmer snake. They are all different and there are exceptions but babies usually calm down in a few months.
Todd Hughes