Fit for a King or Just Milking it?

Has the corn snake’s supremacy in the pet trade cast a shadow over the true kings of the Colubrids?

With milk snakes offering stunning colouration, interesting characters and an expanding morph market, Exotics Keeper Magazine looks at the underdogs in the ‘best pet snake’ category.

Albino tangerine aberrant Honduran milk snake (L. triangulum hodurensis)

Milk snake or an udder one?

All milk snakes are king snakes, but not all king snakes are milk snakes. The term king snake refers to all members of the Lampropeltis genus which is made up of 24 different species. Previously, the milk snakes were considered subspecies of the Eastern milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum), however this is no longer the case. Frequent updates in the taxonomy of this complicated genus of snakes contributes to the popularity of using common names in conjunction with scientific names.  

The wider group of “king snakes” range from Canada to Ecuador, contributing to the genus’ versatile appearances and behaviours. Milk snakes also range across much of this area though most species that appear in the pet trade are from Mexico and Central America. These are the popular Honduran, Sinaloan, Nelsons and Pueblan milk snakes.

According to the University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web, the milk snake gets its name from an old folktale claiming the snake sneaks into barns and drinks the milk of nursing cows. Of course, this is physically impossible and there is no truth in this tale at all. Their distinct tri-colour patterning could contribute to the perpetuation of this story, as they are an easily recognisable snake that could be found on farms where there are lots of rodents to feed on.

Nelson’s milk snake (L. triangulum nelsoni)

Something a little less corny

Caring for a milk snake is very similar to caring for a corn snake and yet the latter has consistently proven more popular than the former. This is largely because of their suitability as pets. Overall, corn snakes have a much more tolerant demeanour, especially as young snakes which pet owners are likely to buy. However, with such a broad range of king snakes available on the market, bold species such as the central plains milk snake (L. gentilis) or the California king snake (L. californiae) can make excellent pets as they mature.

Gary Morris (GM Reptiles) and Toby Maxted (TMAX Reptiles) have been keeping and breeding kingsnakes, including milk snakes for decades. Both share a similar passion for the Lampropeltis genus and regularly attend many of the European trade shows. Gary told Exotics Keeper Magazine: “Corn snakes just never really excited me. I have kept them for friends, but I have only ever had three in my collection. Kingsnakes on the other hand, have a bit more about them in my opinion. They often have bright colouration and they’re almost always shiny, in fact their Latin name translates to ‘shiny shield’. I mean, this is a snake that will eat another snake, there’s just something about their character that I find more exciting than corn snakes. A lot of them can reach an impressive size too so they’re confident. You can really feel that snake in your hands!”

Toby explained his very similar infatuation with king snakes as he told us: “I like their attitude too. They’re always moving and always interacting with their environment. It’s not like other snakes that will sit there for the majority of the day, milk snakes are like having a kid around the house. Yes, king snakes are more food oriented, but I would never put someone off buying a milk snake as their first snake. I would always warn of the size of Hondurans, because people don’t realise how long they can get, especially the males! Generally, the sinaloans and the pueblans are shy snakes but with a bit of patience they will definitely get used to handling.”

Versatile style

Despite having a widespread distribution, the kingsnakes are often grouped into similar care guides and requirements. Although some milk snakes occur as far south as Ecuador and some king snakes as far north as Canada, the natural behaviours of these animals mean there are few disparities in their care and keeping.

Stuart Worth has been a major figurehead in the herpetoculture industry since the 1980s. He explains “There is not a lot of difference in the care requirements of the king snakes. The main difference between the North American and Central America species would be that the former would require a longer cool period in the winter, whereas the latter would require a much shorter one, if any at all. The species that do come from Central America tend to inhabit grassland environments rather than tropical forests, so the keeper could provide slightly higher humidity levels, but this really isn’t necessary. The biggest variation in the care of these species is between the highland and lowland species. For example, the mountain king snakes are going to need a much cooler temperature than their lowland counterparts.”

This gives keepers a lot of scope when it comes to choosing a king snake. Not only is there a whole spectrum of species, subspecies, locales and morphs, but all of them are quite straightforward in their care. For someone who is looking for a manageable snake, the central plains milk snake (L. gentilis) typically displays a relaxed nature, but with enough patience the stunning colouration of a sinaloan or nelsons milk snake (L. polyzona) can be hugely appealing. Gary continued: “There’s a lot of choice with milk snakes. The smaller size animals are probably a good first choice, I really like the L. annulata (Mexican milk snake) but also your sinaloans and nelsons are great. But really, they all vary. Just like people, they have individual characters so I wouldn’t say that one species is better than another. There’s something for everyone. Even people who don’t like the tri-colour looks can buy a black milk snake (L. micropholis).”

Lampropeltis gentilis

Housing mini milks

Kingsnakes behave differently to corn snakes, but for the right person they can be extremely rewarding and manageable pets. Being such hardy animals, creating a suitable enclosure for a milk snake is relatively simple to achieve but enjoyment can be found in going the extra mile. The first important thing to consider is the size of the snake. Young snakes can almost double in size each year, so housing appropriately to avoid significant stress to the animal is crucial. Gary Morris added “Housing a youngster appropriately is important. I wouldn’t rush to put a neonate into a full sized viv as it can cause too much stress. They already have a lot of exploration to do without having to worry about where their water bowl is. Remember this is a stressful time for the animal anyway, take time with them. We must remember this animal thinks you’re a predator to them.”

Young king snakes are also notoriously snappy, so it’s important to be patient when purchasing a new snake. Toby explains: “Youngsters are quite bitey and I can see why someone new could be put off by this, but its just a little scratch. After a few weeks, maybe a couple of months they get much more comfortable with you and become great pet snakes. The most important thing is for people to do their homework, but also don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

As snakes that can reach up to five feet in length, a 4 X 2 X 2 feet vivarium is required to house most adult milk snakes. Of course, the smaller species will feel more comfortable in an enclosure this size and going slightly larger for a Honduran is not going to hurt.

Supplying a hot end of around 32°C and a cool end of around 23°C with plenty of hides is a necessity. Providing “Zone 1” UVI lighting should give the animal adequate UVB. Heating is often achieved through a heat mat, but observations of snakes in bioactive enclosures have seen some king snakes choosing to use a basking spot as opposed to their ‘warm hide’. Liam Sinclair of Reptiles and Research suggests: “a lot of days my king snakes will flat out sit under the T5 and bask all day. In the wild they bask cryptically by exposing a single coil or when they do bask openly its amongst grass and other vegetation where it is safe from predators. But in captivity it’s another story, there are no predators so the need to avoid being seen isn’t as dire. Hence why mine bask so readily. The benefit of basking remains while the risk of predation is removed. These benefits include; Increased activity levels and alertness and increased melanin production - so they may look better. People take snakes outside to look at the iridescence in the light. When you have UVB they sit there shimmering, the Mexican black kingsnakes almost have a blue hue to them. It’s fantastic.” Along with these observations, UVB holds a myriad of well-known health benefits for the development of the animal.

Substrate choice can be largely subjective, especially with snakes. As king snakes can be particularly inquisitive with some burrowing tendencies, maintaining a naturalistic or bioactive set up can provide a wealth of enrichment. Liam continued: “Previously I had the Cali king bioactive, and my Mexican black king snakes on a naturalistic mix of topsoil to play sand while still doing full cleans. I have switched one of my Mexican black kingsnakes to lignocel to see if there are any behavioural differences. What I found after the snake had adjusted is that once a lattice of tunnels is formed, they tend to be reused. I noticed burrowing behaviour increased when I heavily sprayed down the enclosures once a week, I think this is because it made the soil easier to work with. As the heat from vivariums below warmed the one above, the substrate was being warmed from both angles, causing it to dry out and compact quickly. I have noticed quite adept climbing abilities, even the use of the tail to grip things as they go. I have also noticed a notable increase in muscle tone in 2 of my snakes. Just the position of branches etc or hides can affect behaviour. It’s better for the snake and its better for the keeper to watch a more active snake that's out more.”

Not just a vanilla milksnake

There seems to be an accessible route into the morph market for milk snakes, facilitated by their low costs and bright patterns. Being prolific breeders with a high demand for animals anyway, morphs can give breeders new goals and ambitions. Matthew Pearman has recently embarked on a new morph breeding project called Milksnake Mutations, he said: “I’ve kept milksnakes for 10 years now, in fact they were my second ever species that I had when I was a teenager. Milksnake mutations came about because I’ve finally found myself in a stable job, with an equally enthusiastic partner and we said screw it, let’s do it!”

“Compared to corn snakes, I do think they’re hugely underappreciated in the morph market. The truth is, there is not many base genes which puts people off. The base genes are hypomelanistic, amelanistic and anerythristic but then responsible line breeding creates different scales within these genes. I think milksnakes are great because every budget is different and top whack for a Honduran is around £1,000 which really isn’t that much in comparison to other species.”

With such a wide range of species and subspecies, the Lampropeltis genus gives new breeders the opportunity to build a collection of snakes that remains rooted in their childhood passions. Young breeders have a lot of scope to develop on their existing expertise, whilst remaining confident in their experienced approach.

Aneryistic Honduran milk snake (L. triangulum hondurensis)

Sting of the King

The hardy nature and adaptability of the Lampropeltis genus has allowed one species to cause ecological damage to the Canary Islands. With few predators on the island, the common king snake (L. getula) has established four well rooted populations on the island of Gran Canaria. Being cosmopolitan feeders, the snakes are feeding on island’s endemic lizard species. Since 2009 over 7,000 snakes have been caught in multiple attempts to quell the population growth and protect the indigenous wildlife.

The snakes on Gran Canaria are almost certainly the descendants of escaped pets or released animals from the 80s when king snakes had their initial spike in popularity. As such, Spanish authorities have pushed to list Lampropeltis getula under the European Union Invasive Alien Species (IAS) legislation. This listing would effectively ban the trade, breeding and movement of the species and all subspecies in the EU. Although this has not come to fruition in the four years that the debate has been ongoing, it is possible that despite leaving the EU at the beginning of the year and there being little risk of any damage from the species here, this may still affect the UK.

Both the Reptile and Exotic Pet Trade Association (REPTA) and the Federation of British Herpetologists (FBH) submitted responses to the IAS scientific forum challenging the validity of the proposal on an EU wide basis. REPTA told Exotics Keeper Magazine: “Whilst there can be no doubt of their impact on Gran Canaria this cannot be translated onto mainland Europe, and definitely not into the northern areas of the EU, such as the UK. For this reason, among others, we objected to the proposal on both occasions it was presented.”

“Since leaving the EU, the UK has adopted all of the current species listed under IAS, however we are not clear about how they would view future listings. It is our hope that the UK Government will adopt a scientific, evidence-based approach to any new listings and adopt them or not on the basis of the risk in the UK. Currently it looks like the Kingsnake proposal may be presented a third time for assessment. However, as we are no longer part of the EU, the UK will not form part of the assessment. If the proposal is adopted then ALL L. gentula subspecies will be banned in the EU, meaning you can’t sell, breed or transport them. The impact on the UK therefore hinges on our Governments approach to proposals.”

Common/Eastern king snake (Lampropeltis getula)

What next?

The Lampropeltis genus will always be popular amongst pet owners. As such a rich and diverse genus of snakes, there is still much to explore. For hobbyists that have worked with these species for decades, there is no comparison between milk snakes and corn snakes. However, what makes a “good” pet snake is also very subjective. Despite legal challenges threatening some of the most popular king snakes from the early days of herpetoculture, the Lampropeltis genus is a perfect example of how dynamic the hobby is. From frequently changing Latin names to a tapestry of colour morphs and new breeding projects appearing often, the milk snakes that we know and love offer a level of depth that is often overlooked. Despite many experts dedicating their entire lives to these animals, milk snakes are certainly one of the more underappreciated of the long-standing species in the hobby today. Yet, while owners find such immense joy keeping milk snakes, the corn snake comparison is a conversation that enthusiasts will never need to entertain.