Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my second year breeding these beautiful snakes. This is the first time I ever caught them in the act. I am sure all of you gaigeae keepers will agree, these animals are awesome!

Counting the days 'till I get some eggs.
Glen

Very nice! My pair is still a few inches short of the 5 foot mark, so I'm going to have to wait until next year to breed them. Better safe than sorry. My male seems ready to go, though... he's gone off feed, and seems unusually restless and twitchy-tailed. I think he smells his future mate in the adjoining cage. Did your male gaigeae exhibit the same behavior?

Thanks,
Nate

I never noticed the tail twitching, but my male started passing up meals (very unlike him). My snakes are just barely over 60" and both over 1,500gms. Although my female produced 5 good eggs last year at 54" and 1,100 gms, but I think you are wise to play it safe. Nothing worse than spending 3 years rasing a snake, just to lose it to impatience.

Good luck,
Glen

Looks like your keeping them in a cb-70 tub? Whats that subsrate if you don't mind me asking? The Black milks are AWSOME!
Bob.

The substrate in the picture is "Sani-chips", it is a very absorbant, compressed, aspen wood chip that is pretty dust free. It is used a lot for lab rodents. Problem is, it is hard to find because it is too heavy to ship.

Glen

n/p

They are in an IRIS tub that measures 33" X 18" X 5.5". I am not sure of the model number. I would not recomend this tub!!! I believe that it is too small for an adult Black milksnake, especially when you put two together for breeding. It just so happens to be the largest tub I currently have set up.

Good luck to you,
Glen

A rack sure does make cleaning up after them easier. I like Visions but I needed more humidity(could cover the vent easily) for the BMs with them and they are not as easy to clean as a rack.

Try animalplastics.com

...

Just a quick question - on a side note...

It seems to me that most anyone who has had a black milk has had nothing but good things to say about them. I personally have never had the opportunity to meet one, but I do have a mexican black kinsnake. I'm wondering if you are familiar with both, and how you would say they compare or contrast.

Thanks,
- Mark
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There are other people here that have had BMs longer than me who could probably give you a better idea. I have, and like both. My oldest BM is an adult 2000' less than 5'. If I were to compare him against my Nigrita I might say the Nigrita is the tiniest bit calmer but both are "lap snakes" as Dann puts it. I find that my BMs are more glossy in comparison, heavier and more aggessive at feeding time but they are very similar.Both have an understated beauty.

Mark,
I'm no expert, but I will point out a few obvious differences and a couple of opinions. First the Milks start out as tricolored snakes and then turn black. Which is totally cool! Also milks grow to be larger than the mex kings(6-7ft vs. 4-5ft). Their heads are slightly different, milks being more narrow (no neck), and the milks' eyes are solid black (kings usually look brown, with black pupil). I have also noticed that the average adult black milk is more docile that the average mex black king, although I have seen extremely docile black kings.
The most noticable difference to most of us who keep snakes is the cost. Black milks usually cost about 3 times more than a Mex Black King.
Either way you have a beautiful, shiny black snake that will make a great pet and a fun conversation starter. There is just something about a solid black snake!!
Hope this helps!
Glen

The change over time is amazing to watch!!