Best setup for a 5 foot sinaloan milk snake

[Arachnaeoccult]

...I'm pretty sure its a sinaloan. I'm buying a pet from lady who no longer wants it. After searching around the phone numbers for a person that might possess milk snakes I found a pet store woman who owns one personally and wants to sell him for 100 dollars. Says he's really healthy, five feet long, and eats medium rats.

My ball python is too fat for the old Tarantula hide thats been sitting idle but the milk snake might have a better chance getting in. Now the baby corn snake is being moved to a smaller tub closer to the width of a five gallon. This milk snake has been living in a 10 gallon enclosure but since the care sheets recommend 2 hides I'm debating on another 20 gallon long tank. Two hides would leave only a small middle space for the 5 footer, unless thats normal?

[Minkness]

A 5 foot snake...in a 10 gallon enclosure?

That's....gross negligence if not flat out animal abuse....

That snake should be in no less than a 40 gallon breeder.

And medium rats? Those sound way too big....

[Arachnaeoccult]

I can get a 55 gallon for 30 bucks off an old roomate. It'll need to wait a month.

[Jim Smith]

Even a 20 gallon is too small for a 5 foot snake in my opinion. I have all of my Hondurans in 36"X23"x14" cages and they quite often use every bit of the enclosure. Two of them are about 5 feet long and others will be very soon. If you have the room, I strongly recommend that you invest in a larger (front opening) enclosure. Consider that your new snake will probably live approximately 12-15 more years. I'm sure you want them to be in a lifetime enclosure for their comfort. Just a thought...

[Arachnaeoccult]

One care sheet says I can use coconut substrate which would save a few pennies since i have a bag. The stuff gets moist though, I trust it for my tarantulas but not sure about the milk snake. for a month the coco fiber might be okay but I was still going to buy a bag of aspen when I pick him up. He's presumably 'used' to his negligent conditions and he shouldn't be stressed much when I rehome him. I'll get to it when I can.

The store itself carries no snakes at the moment and they seem to cater to fuzzy animals more, it might explain the poor understanding of enclosure sizes.


Update; the tank available to me is 4x2x1.

[sirtalis]

One care sheet says I can use coconut substrate which would save a few pennies since i have a bag. The stuff gets moist though, I trust it for my tarantulas but not sure about the milk snake. for a month the coco fiber might be okay but I was still going to buy a bag of aspen when I pick him up. He's presumably 'used' to his negligent conditions and he shouldn't be stressed much when I rehome him. I'll get to it when I can.

The store itself carries no snakes at the moment and they seem to cater to fuzzy animals more, it might explain the poor understanding of enclosure sizes.


Update; the tank available to me is 4x2x1.


Is the aquarium 2 feet wide or 2 feet high. either way it should work

[Arachnaeoccult]

Is the aquarium 2 feet wide or 2 feet high. either way it should work

Its high. Its not as preferential as a long but it'll certainly work. Especially for $30.

she says that he is 4 years old, he's ANYTHEURISTIC (I thought red, black and white, but he's gray white and black, I like this combo also because it reminds me of the Galactic Empire) a proven male, and is or was going to be bred with her female. She seems to have an understanding of snakes and was polite enough to answer my questions. she says his mood depends on the day. Overall he sounds like a healthy snake, and for $100 I can't pass on giving him a new home and a chance.

He's also not a sinaloan but a honduran.

[Andy_G]

Minimum size of enclosure for a honduran...for most species aside from the very active actually, such as any pituophis, beauty snakes, drymarchon to name a few...would be one square foot of space for every foot of snake. If your floor dimensions are 4x1 IMO it won't be ideal. Also, these guys like to hide and won't climb as much as some other species, so although you may see it climbing occssionally, the height could be a waste...unless you're good with that of course.

[Andy_G]

Also, as far as "mood" goes...all adult milksnake species except for perhaps black milks/ecuadoran milks, are pretty "darty" and somewhat spastic in their movements sometimes, much more so than cornsnakes for example. Hondurans tend to be relatively calm but they have their moments.

This first pic is probably pretty similar to the one you are going to pick up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/Andy_G/DSC00843.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Andy_G/media/DSC00843.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/Andy_G/Honduran%20Milksnakes/DSC01305.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Andy_G/media/Honduran%20Milksnakes/DSC01305.jpg.html)

[Arachnaeoccult]

I'm jonesing to see my new amnimal. I was hoping to find a red-black-white but the white-grey-black is so shiney and chrome! I'm debating on names for him since she said she didn't name him; White-Lightening, Darkstar and Mason are contending names. the color reminds me of the sky and storms.

[Arachnaeoccult]

Here he is in all his majesty!

[Arachnaeoccult]

http://s12.postimg.org/y2kmnc3p9/12605479_1682784891997770_4920964876610961902_o.jp g (http://postimage.org/)
image upload with preview (http://postimage.org/)




http://s22.postimg.org/mestu7mkx/12633489_1682784868664439_4299090440659806067_o.jp g (http://postimage.org/)
photoupload (http://postimage.org/)




He's a pretty one alright. Really chrome and shiney, lots and lots of white with black ring. Magnificent milksnake


he's been in a 10 gallon all his life according to the previous owner. Really skittish but can mellow out. strong, flexible, healthy animal. Fed him to settle him into his new home.He's verified to have had babies. Next month we're moving Eskimo to a much larger enclosure.

[Andy_G]

Very nice hondo you have there and I like the name! Definitely in need of bigger digs.

[EL Ziggy]

Great looking Hondo. Glad to see you're giving him more space to stretch out. Best wishes with the very nice new addition.

[Bandit]

Great looking milk there! I'm sure he will enjoy getting out of that cramped tank.

Also, I'd get some clips on that tank asap if I were you(or at least some heavy objects). Wouldn't want any escapes.

[Arachnaeoccult]

I put a book on top.

[EL Ziggy]

Great eye Bandit. I didn't notice the lid without clips.

@ OP- I tried the books, bricks, and bungy cords security method many years ago and it didn't turn out well for me. No matter what I put on top of the cage my snake would get out. Id highly recommend getting those clips as Bandit suggested.

[Bandit]

Yeah they are only like $3 from Petco. They're a good investment. I've seen snakes lift the lids off of tanks with stuff piled on top. It's really incredible how strong they can be.

[Arachnaeoccult]

should I make the substrate deeper in the larger enclosure? he seems to like burrowing

[Arachnaeoccult]

I gorilla glued the water dish to the top of his hide which should keep him from spilling water!

[Andy_G]

Definitely add some depth to the substrate in the new enclosure. Milks love burrowing.

[Arachnaeoccult]

Now heres a question. hes often outside his hide. doyou think it makes more sense, since the february in florida is already starting at 85 degrees. 2 hides cant fit in the tank but maybe it'd be better to go with the cool side since the snake is at no risk of freezing

[Arachnaeoccult]

He is squirmy and shy when picked up, his movements very jerky and fast but when I give him the right support he will loop over my shoulder than wrap around my arm and come back. and move around the arms and shoulders left to right. He has a fulcrum by which to handle him

[Andy_G]

Didn't you just get him? You should really let him settle in and eat a couple times before you try to handle him or otherwise bother him. That really goes for all new additions.

[EL Ziggy]

He really should have 2 hides. Don't make your snake choose between warmth and security. I also agree with Andy. Let him settle in and eat 2-3 times before handling.

[Arachnaeoccult]

He likes to bunch up around the water dish on top of hide log, go into the log or curl on the outside. I thought about switching the ball python because she was in a 10 gallon and doesnt move at all but i put 2 hides in hers and she uses them.I'min doubt hes had a hide at all!

[Arachnaeoccult]

He's sitting in and wrapping around his water bowl!