Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently acquired a late '07 black milk snake. I have read earlier where the humidity should be - but there is so little info on them in the net. I can't find what I previously read! Does anyone know?
I have a gladware small container about hte size of a kids shoe box with moist paper towels in it on the warm side, and on the colder side I have a water dish. The humidity is around 75%. I feel like that's too high. Perhaps I should make more holes in the plexiglass top?

Well, Black Milks do pretty well with a relatively high humidity compared to a few others, but to keeping it at 75% is a little higher than it needs to be, and will encourage bacteria and fungal growth within the enclosure. They will do just fine at a humidity of between 55-65% humidity. Additionally, Black Milks also thrive better at slightly cooler temps than many others too, being from the cooler, relatively higher elevations of the mountain regions of Panama, and Costa Rica. They are found at elevations ranging anywhere from 4300 to 7400 feet.

Regulating two temps in a very small container can be hard to do sometimes, so if you keep the young hatchling at between 74-79 degrees, which is usually a fairly comfortable temp for humans too, it will do just fine.
One strong word of advice though, put a RELIABLE thermometer directly down where the snake hides, as this is the temp that is important, guessing at temps does NOT work well. I would also put some more holes, or whatever it takes to get the humidity down just a bit to the numbers mentioned earlier,....damp paper towels tend to get nasty fairly quick too, taking those out just might get it closer to the target humidity also.

One last reminder, make ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN there is no small gaps, etc... where the lid meets the enclosure, and it is totally secure, or it will surely find it's way out. Ask anyone here how that works!..LOL!

good luck, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

I have kept black milks for years with no supplemental heat source (i.e. at room temp) assuming the room temp in your house is within the range of 70 - 78 degrees.

Mine are housed in rubbermaid tubs with one 16-20 oz water bowl in it and the humidity with that water bowl is fine for them. Never had a problem with shedding, etc. Use an appropriate sized water bowl that makes sense given the size of the animal and the enclosure you are using. My hatchlings for example have 2oz water bowls.

The best advice for black milks is to keep it simple - no heat source, a hide and a fresh water bowl and you'll be fine.

Good luck.

Dave

DNS Reptiles

Thank you both so much for your very informative responses. I just had my father get me a digital infared hygrometer/thermometer instead of these stupid little circular ones, they seem to be off about 10% and 10 degrees.

My snake is sitting in its hide alot, and it's a little frustrating but I realize snakes do this pretty frequently. When would it be a problem?

To be quite honest, that's what young milksnake's do BEST, hide!
it's a survival instinct that works well in keeping them alive. In nature it's much safer for small snakes to hide, and be afraid of larger animals(humans included). As it gets older, it will feel more secure in not needing to be in the hide as often, but for now, it's extremely important that you let it hide as it feels the need. This puts MUCH less stress on the young snake, and is also crucial to the snake having a healthy feeding response.

Do these things that we've posted, and the snake will be just fine.

best regards, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Man I love that snake!
Nate