Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am seriously thinking about getting a sinaloan, but have several questions for those of you experienced with them. Do they stay hidden most of the time, as I suspect? Do they handle nicely, or are they very nervous and skittish even when mature? Do they feed well or do they require tricks and waiting and waiting and waiting for them to eat? I know they are known to eat lizards, but do mice also fit in their natural diet (I have seen greybanded kings that apparently should be eating lizards instead of mice...they were bloated and looked miserable!). Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

I just got my Sinaloan about a month ago, so I'm certainly not an expert, but I can offer you my experiences.

Sinaloans are definitely burrowers. I keep mine in a 55 gallon terrarium with a Cyprus mulch substrate, which is very easy for him to slither in and out of. But just because they like to burrow doesn't mean you will never see them. Keep in mind that they are largely nocturnal, and will tend to come up and explore more in the evening. I usually see mine about once or twice a day, and I occasionally dig him out when I can't find him.

Mine handles pretty nicely, although (like most snakes) he refuses to be touched immediately after eating, and will nip at me if I come near him them. They can be a bit nippy when young, but I am told they mellow out considerably with age. Just yesterday I noticed that he also seems to be VERY aggressive when he is about to shed, but I'm not sure if this is common to all snakes or just him. Aside from that, though, I try to handle him just about every day, just to keep him used to it, and I usually don't have any problems. He's usually very active when being held, but he's never once bit at me once I've had him in my hand (although he is a bit jumpy to quick movements). All in all, I think he has tried to bite me maybe five or six times since I have had him, although he has only made contact once (and I didn't hurt at all). Usually it's more of a warning than an actual attack. He is very clear about saying "don't mess with me" when he wants to be left alone.

I've read that some Sinaloans can be fussy eaters, but it really just depends on the snakes individual personality. Mine is a VERY good eater - he is about 10 months old, and I feed him pinkie mice. He happily eats live or frozen, and always strikes within 60 seconds of noticing his food. I believe mice are a part of their natural diet in the wild, and based on my own experience, he seems to really enjoy them, so feeding is a breeze.

My Sinaloan is the first non-native snake I've ever owned, and I've been really pleased with him so far. They are really gorgeous animals, and can be very entertaining and rewarding to own. I got mine specifically because they are one of the best "beginner" Milk Snakes I researched, and they still have the beautiful tri-color pattern. Hope all this has helped - best of luck!

No post.

Hi Shaky-

I just got a 14" male Sinaloan from our LPS about 6 weeks ago- I have been completely pleased with my choice.

This is a first snake for my 6-yr old daughter, she has been asking for one since we have caught many yard snakes and taken them to her class, etc.

I chose the Sinaloan for it's beauty along with it's reputation for calm dispositon and ease of care- all true.

The LPS fed live pinkies, I have switched to frozen no prob, I warm them to 90-100 degrees, feed in subdued light, often "Pedro" will strike at the food from a tweezer, or else I leave it on his log hide and it disappears in a couple of minutes. The light seems to be important, I haven't seen that mentioned much on this forum. He lost a little weight after I first got him, but since his first shed has gained considerably in girth and strength, and a little in length.

Pedro is shy but almost always visible, sometimes only a head, usually at least half exposed. He has taken to coiling up in the opening of a ceramic log in there, he hid way down in it once, leading to a frantic search until he was lured out with a mousicle, I have poured plaster in it so now he can't get all the way out of sight.

He is super tolerant to hold- he is a little nervous, tries to evade when we reach into the tank, stays in motion while held- my daughter is much too active with him, waving him around while talking etc, but he has never offered an aggressive or defensive reaction- he will pull back if a hand comes quickly towards his head. When I hold him calmly he will relax and stretch out on my arm for a few minutes at a time.

I haven't gotten pics back yet to share although Pedro isn't perfect in pattern, and his home is pretty standard, he's become well loved in a short time.

I recommend the Sinaloan highly, it's tolerance of handling, excellent eating, and beauty that converts most snake-o-phobes into fans- I'm a happy snake owner!

Sorry for the long reply, but I thought you would appreciate a full reply BEFORE you make your choice!