Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone. I'm adding a new snake to my growing collection this Saturday. I've posted in several forums, getting a few last minute questions answered. Two of the snakes on my list to check out in person are Sinaloan and Nelson's milksnakes. I just have two questions. Which do you guys think would be a better choice as a first milk if I decide on a milksnake? Also, I just want to check and see if my setup is good. The breeder has babies, so I'll start it in a 10 gallon. I was going to use aspen bedding, water dish, maybe a branch for shedding, thermometer, and heat pad set to the appropriate temperature. For a hiding spot I was thinking about copying an idea I saw in a cornsnake book, a cardboard paper towel roll with a hole cut in the side, going from one end of the tank to another. This would give the snake the option of a hot and cold hiding spot. What do you think?Thanks for any replies!
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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

I like to keep small snakes in small enclosures.. but, a 10 gallon tank along with the setup you described sounds fine as long as you have a secure screen top.

As far as your choice of a sinaloan or a nelsoni... They are both great choices so it would be up to you. They are VERY similar in looks, size and temperment..

~ Mike

the set up you use for your kings and corns should work fine for a milk too. I use paper towel tubes and other small cardboard boxes as hides and they work great.

Both nelson's and sinaloans are very calm, generally eat well and are beautiful animals.

Good luck and let us know what you get.

Dave

DNS Reptiles

Aren't they both from similar regions in Mexico? Didn't there used to be a page on here comparing them and detailing the subtle (if any) differences? My daughter has a Nelsons that we thought for the longest time was a Sinaloan. Great snake.

reako45

Yeah, Pete Cragg used to have a great webpage that described his observations on the differences between the two. His page name was Critter Connection or something like that. I think his page went away after he got out of snakes.

Vinny has some nice info on them on his page, which you can access through Kingsnake called Natural Selection Reptiles...

Dave
DNS Reptiles

Thaks for the help. If I go with milksnake, I'm going to go with a Sinaloan Milk. I just have oner more question. In milksnakes, is their a size difference between males and females? Also, any good name ideas? My creativity is running out after fourteen other animals. Thanks a bunch!
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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