The iconic Nelson’s milk snake is a captivating species of kingsnake with unique characteristics that appeal to reptile keepers. They have different color morphs that make it possible to find a snake in almost any color combination.
Nelson’s milk snakes are typically found in Mexico from southern Guanajuato to Pacific water in Jalisco. These snakes prefer habitats such as tropical deciduous forests and semi-arid shrublands. They’re opportunistic feeders with diets consisting of rodents, other snakes, and small mammals.
They’re great for beginner or experienced keepers, as they’re easy to care for and provide a great opportunity to observe the natural behavior of a snake. Here’s a complete guide on what you need to know to keep a Nelson’s milk snake.
Nelson’s Milk Snake Facts and Care Guide
Here are some basic facts you need to know about Nelson’s milk snake before committing to keeping one:
- Scientific name: Lampropeltis triangulum nelsoni
- Adult size: 3–4 feet (0.9–1.2 m) in length
- Life span: 15 to 20 years with proper care and nutrition
- Diet: Carnivorous—feeds on rodents, lizards, birds, other snakes, and small mammals
- Habitat: Mexico—tropical deciduous forests, and semi-arid shrublands
- Temperament: Docile, friendly, and rarely aggressive
Appearance
There are different morphs of Nelson’s milk snake, each with its own distinct coloration. The most common morph is the red, black, and yellow striped pattern. They can be easily confused with the coral snake, as they share similar color patterns.
But the most noticeable difference is that the coral snake has the yellow and red bands touching one another, while the Nelson’s milk snake has black bands separating the yellow and red bands.
Care Guide
To keep your Nelson’s milk snake healthy and happy, you must provide them with the appropriate habitat and food.
Housing
Nelson’s milk snakes need an escape-proof, secure enclosure, which is large enough to allow them to move around. A 10 to 20-gallon (37.8-75.7 L) terrarium is ideal. You should also provide a tight-fitting lid or screen top to guard against escape.
The enclosure should be well-ventilated and kept clean. You may also want to add hiding spots that the snake can use for shelter.
Lighting
These snakes are nocturnal, so artificial lighting is not necessary for their health. There is no need to put any special lighting like the UVB or UVA lights that other species need.
They can thrive with natural daylight coming from the sun through the windows, even if the enclosure is not directly next to one.
However, having some type of low-level light source in the enclosure can be beneficial to allow daytime viewing of the snake.
Temperature
A Nelson’s milk snake needs a thermal gradient, meaning they should have warm and cool areas in their enclosure. The warm side should be heated to around 90 °F (32.2 °C), and the cool side should be between 75 and 80 °F (23.9 and 26.7 °C).
At night, you can lower the temperatures to 65–70 °F (18.3–21.1 °C). Keeping it lower than 65 °F (18.3 °C) can cause stress to the snake and lead to shock.
Substrate
For the substrate, you can use aspen shavings. You can also use coconut fiber, peat moss, or other reptile-safe substrates. Since they are burrowers, you may want to provide extra substrate layers to give the snake something to dig in.
Humidity
The humidity within the enclosure should be kept between 40 and 60%. You can use a reptile misting bottle to keep the humidity levels consistent. Providing a bowl of water where they can soak can also help keep the humidity levels up.
Diet
Nelson’s milk snakes thrive on a diet consisting of the following:
- rodents
- other snakes
- lizards
- small mammals
- birds
Pre-killed rodents are the best option to ensure the safety of your snake, as feeding live food can be dangerous.
You could feed frozen or thawed rodents or quail eggs to provide variety. Feed your snake once or twice a week, depending on their size.
Breeding
Nelson’s milk snakes can be bred in captivity. However, they can be temperamental and finicky breeders. Start by selecting a pair of healthy and well-grown adults. You should also ensure they are unrelated, as inbreeding can lead to genetic problems.
When selecting a breeding pair, you should look for snakes of the same age and roughly the same size.
The female will usually lay between 12 and 15 eggs, which should be incubated at 82–86 °F(27.8–30 °C). The eggs will hatch in 2–3 months, and the baby snakes will be independent immediately and need to be fed small prey such as pinky mice.
Brumation
Your snake doesn’t traditionally hibernate, but it does require a period of brumation to reproduce. During this period, the temperatures should be lowered, and the feeding should be reduced.
Brumation should last for approximately 10–12 weeks, after which the temperatures and feeding schedules can be returned to normal.
Final Thoughts
Nelson’s milk snakes can make an excellent pet for the right owner. They’re active and easy to care for, so long as you provide them with the correct habitat and food. You should also be aware of their need for brumation before breeding.
If you give it proper care and attention, these snakes can thrive in captivity and make beautiful and interesting pets.
