Reptile & Amphibian Forums

in regards to size, feeding, tempermant?

Thanks
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Temperment is about the same although some Black Milks are a little squirmy but not bad. Size is the real big difference Nigra tops out at about 4' on average while Bl. Milks get up to 6' with 7' not being uncommon. Also Bl. Milks like being cooler and with that dont eat as much or as often anyway. If you want some more specifics on their care there are a few Care Sheets around for Black Milks. If I was choosing betwen the 2 I would take a Black Milk in a heart beat. Ive had them both and I still regret selling my 6' Black Milks a number of years ago !

Keith
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Thanks for the info. About how large of prey would an adult Blk Milk eat and how often? I'm trying to picture how thick they get.

Thanks!
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1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"

1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

1-2 sm/med Rats every 2 weeks or so (for a 6'individual). It really depends on the temp you keep em at.
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one last question, i got a chance to look at a few sites at lunch - is it true that black milks are actually born with colors that turn to black at 1 year of age?
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1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"

1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
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0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

Yes they are ringed in red, black and white.

Keith
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thanks for the info. that's pretty neat - almost like 2 snakes for one!
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"

1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

I have a yearling pair of black milks. They are outstanding feeders and definately prefer cooler temps. They will average out at a bit over 5 feet as adults, but they don't grow very quickly. The largest specimen known is an animals that was (may still be) housed at the San Antonio Zoo which was 7' 2" (a male). The young black milks are jittery, but I handled the parents of my pair and they were extremely calm bordering on lethargic.

Once again... outstanding feeders.

They are born as pretty colored as any milk snake. Some lines turn black sooner than others, but they eventually get black (a rare example will show some hint of the former pattern).