Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone this is my first post here. I just bought a male and female apricot milk for my son for Christmas, and they are going to get shipped to me next week. When I was in coeelge i used to work at a fish and reptile wholesaler here in Kansas City, but that was almost 10 years ago and have forgot what little I used to know about milk snakes! The snakes I bought have been in brumation for 3 weeks, do I keeo them there or bring them out of it? If they need to stay in brumation, I think I need to keep them around 50 degrees, is that right? If it is I have the perfect place for them! They are about a year old, so if I keep them in brumation thru the winter, can I try to breed them this Spring? What is the best substrate to keep them in, and should it be different thru the brumation time or the same year round? Do I need to keep them housed seperate, or can I keeo them together?
Thanks in advance for your help, and sorry for so many questions, but I want to do this right, because my son would freak out if they died!!!!!!!
Jeffrey

Hey Jeffrey,

It's always nice to hear a parent introducing their kids to snakes. My experience over the past several years are with honduran milksnakes and california kingsnakes but I have taken care of pueblan milksnakes in my volunteer work and have found out that the care and breeding for pueblan milksnakes are similar to any other miksnakes. I wish you have bought your milksnakes before brumation. Usually, no reputable breeder would ship any snake during snow season for some inherent shipping health risk involving the snakes freezing to death during shipping (unless heat packs guarantee their safety) but since they are already scheduled to be shipped, then let's hope they will be fine when they arrive. Given that they might have been way too cold during shipping, I would take them out and see if they are all right to begin with. You don't want to be surprised during the brumation period when you start smelling decaying dead snakes in case they died during shipping without inspecting them when they arrive.

Second, if you are planning to breed them this coming spring/summer, make sure they are of the right size and weight. You mentioned that they are about a year old and I think they are too young to breed. The size and weight are the more important ones and for Pueblan milksnakes, the adult average length is 28-34 inches and the adult average weight is 300-375 grams. If they fall within the length and weight range, then you can probably be able to breed them. If so, the brumation temp is 48-60F. If they do not fall within the height and weight range, I would not attempt brumation and would not attempt breeding them this coming season, meaning during this winter season, just feed them and put their cages in normal temperatures.

Even though they are not known to eat each other, I would still house them separately for hygiene reasons and use aspen beddings.

hope everything works out,

take care,

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RAY

I too think its awesome for you to introduce this to your son. I am in the kansas city area and would be happy to pick up the phone and just answer all your questions in a conversation if that is easier for you than writing on here. If you are new to snakes, which it sounds like you are, then you will have alot of questions and there is some things you just basically need to know . There are some decent articles on the web about caretaking of snakes as well , but If I can help you in any way, just email me at dawn@vertexfoam.com and we will arrange for a time to chat.

take care
Dawn Powers

The snakes I bought have been in brumation for 3 weeks, do I keeo them there or bring them out of it?

Yes, they can go right into the cooler when you get them. To be cautious, you can step down the cooling to 70, 60, then 50.

If they need to stay in brumation, I think I need to keep them around 50 degrees, is that right?

Yes, 55 is the magic temp, mine hover (in Minnesota) at 45-60. The magic duration is not less than 3 months, 4 is fine.

They are about a year old, so if I keep them in brumation thru the winter, can I try to breed them this Spring?

No, 3 years is the soonest I'd breed them in spite of the trend to breed at 18 or 24 months. Your clutches will be larger, eggs will be larger, hence larger hatchlings.

What is the best substrate to keep them in, and should it be different thru the brumation time or the same year round? Do I need to keep them housed seperate, or can I keeo them together?

I like a good thick layer of aspen and a waterbowl/hide on a piece of cardboard on top of the bedding. Carefresh will do fine also but please keep them seperatly.
Good luck, Jeff