Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

Have there ever been any reports of cannibalism in these little milksnakes? I know that they prey upon baby brown snakes and such, but I was wondering if a scarlet king, let's say, about 5 inches shorter than the other, would become dinner? I have never heard of this particular species preying upon eachother. Are they like the Southern ringnecks, in the way that they aim their prey preferences more towards ground skinks and other small lizards, and are not interested in eating eachother?
In his great masterpiece, "The Reptiles of the World," Ditmars writes that kingsnakes can be kept in a group, as long as they are not fed together, and no reptiles of other species are placed in to awake their cannibalistic habits. Is this true?
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DAVE

All specimens marked with an asterisk indicate a species being bred. Single specimens are rare species that are kept for behavioral and natural history studies.

1.0 Western green toad
1.1 green treefrogs *
1.0 Florida blue garter snake
1.1 Oriental fire-bellied toads *
1.0 American bullfrog
0.1 Spanish ribbed newt
0.0.1 Eastern ribbon snake
1.1 red-cheeked mud turtles *
0.1 Dubia day gecko
1.0 Sonoran gopher snake
1.1 rough green snakes *
1.1 giant African black millipedes *
1.0 Okeetee corn snake
0.1 Albino African clawed frog
1.0 Kenyan sand boa
0.0.1 Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
0.0.1 African bullfrog
1.0 yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
1.1 Western hognose snakes *
1.2 fire salamanders*
1.1 scarlet kingsnakes*
0.0.1 scarlet snake
0.0.1 Argentine horned frog
1.1 Southern ringneck snakes *
0.0.1 night snake
0.0.1 Florida brown snake
0.1 Pine woods snake
1.0 rough earth snake
2 (all of them are female!) Brahminy blind snakes *
0.1 Northern brown snake (GRAVID!)

Each time I put my 16" male in with my 25" female, I say a little prayer.
In my experience there has been no evidence of cannibalism but I would hesitate to say that it never happens. I generally do not keep them together except for breeding it should be noted.
In fact I have 2.1 together now in hopes of a better chance of a good breeding this year.Both males are at least 6-8 inches shorter than that female.
Adults and juvies may react differently to each other too.
There are a few who keep "colonies" of milks together, but I am not one of them.
I would certainly not put a food item in with them when they're together.
:Mark