Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So i have had a pueblan apricot milk snake for about 6 months now. Sent all the way from florida to California. I love how beautiful the snake is, with its bright orange bands. However, it NEVER comes out.. i mean ever.. and it still defecates when i handle him.. My question is how can i make this snake less skiddish? if i clutter his tank with more hiding spots and lots of vines and vegetation will this promote him to come out more?

That is a just juvy pueblan and how most of them are. They do sometimes calm down as adults but are one of the more skittish milks.

Go Jets!
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Please don't talk about snake prices when my wife is around!!

Honestly, i know this kinda sounds screwed up.. but after i did more research I have come to realize that I wish I had bought a honduran milk snake instead.. they seem more active, more vibrant, and even get bigger.. ugh.. this probably sounds wrong but do people ever do actual snake trades? i know its possible because mine came all the way from florida. and the only reason i would want to trade is because I wouldn't be able to house the two together without risking one eating the other.. : /

I'd only suggest you do even more research before getting the hondo, lesson learned but sometimes it is hard to get rid of a snake, post some pics of your pueblan so someone who might want to trade can at least see it. I would personally raise the snake up and work with it. After all, you haven't really given it much of a chance. Most juvenile snakes are a bit squirrely but most tend to outgrow it, but I hope you really give it a chance to come out of its' shell a bit and learn to trust you for its' food source. If you think those are squirmy, don't get into the smaller ones that's for sure! Best of luck.

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Todd Hughes

As much as I love milksnakes (much more 'jewel-like', imo), if you want something that actively cruises aroung and loves being handled then you should not get a hondo, but a kingsnake. If you're looking for orange try a graybanded king (orange and gray- gorgeous!). Keep in mind that the snake I picture below is a duller, more 'burnt orange', because I wanted her that way.

most snakes will hide the majority of the time. its just what they do. this doesnt have much to do with their handleablity. my hondo hides all the time, but when i take her out shes calm and trusting.

it should calm down as it gets bigger.

but i suggest you take your snake out and let him squirm and musk you. eventrually it will give up and calm down. after holding him for a little while longer, only then put him back in the cage (make sure hes still being calm). he will eventrually learn that squirming doesnt work and hes always unharmed. id do this every other day or so.

atlest this worked for all the snakes ive had to calm down and make handleable. and a 6ft hissing bull snake is much more intiminating than a cute publen.

also, make sure you support its body well. publens arnt known for their climbing skills. being unsupported can be frightening for them.

If you have room or a large tank get an Eastern or Florida king, or a black milk snake. Just keep your snake and keep it well fed and let it grow up a bit and handle it often.
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- Matt

1.0 Black Milk '04
1.0 Andean Milk '06
0.1 Eastern King '97
0.1 Bullsnake '09

Like some have said, the snake will get better with age and handling. If you must part with your pueblan for those reasons and you still want a smaller snake, get a mexican milk (annulata). They are the calmest milks that I know of and mine come out from under their hides frequently. They have never musked and I couldn't imagine one of them biting, which is in sharp contrast to the pueblans. Above all, annulatas are stunningly beautiful.
snake adventures

I love the look of my pueblans, too, and have found that after the initial escape attempt, they do calm down in the hand. I only handle them to place them in feeding containers or to clean the cages. For the most part, they stay hidden.

Please note that EVERY snake is different, but for a small attractive milk, consider an albino nelson's. Mine's the only one I've ever known, but he is calm, usually out, and hungry.

Good luck!

Thank you for all the input guys. I decided to keep my pueblan and bought a second tank for my hypo tangerine hondo. : )