Corn snake/ Milk snake comparison

[Deej85]

Greetings, oh wise keepers of reptiles. I have traveled from afar to seek thy herptological wisdom and bask in the light of the Great Heat Lamp that is this forum! Verily If thou wouldst shower me with thy knowledge of all things scaly I wouldst be in thy debt.


In care sheets and forums (such as this one) I often notice that Milk Snakes seem to be grouped together with King Snakes. Is there any reason for this? Are milks cannibalistic as well?

Is there anything that would make a Milk Snake harder to care for then what would be required for a Corn snake?

[jejton]

They are both colubrids. AFAIK corn snakes dont eat other snakes. They generally eat rodents in captivity but in the wild will also eat birds, lizards and probably small snakes if the opportunity and need arises.

[Deej85]

The reason I ask is because my friend has a choice between a milk snake and a corn snake. are Milk snakes harder to care for then corn snakes? Is one able to handle or hold a milk snake as much as a corn snake?

[jejton]

Like I said, I dont know much about milk snakes in captivity but I do have a corn snake and he is pretty good about handling as long as a.) I dont do it before or after a shed or for a day or so after feeding and b.) i do it regularly. They are pretty easy to care for as far as herps go. Mine is in a 20 gallon aquarium with aspen bedding ( i think thats it but check because some of the woods are no goood ) a water bowl, a couple of branches and a length of pvc tube and screen top with clips. I change the water every day or so, and feed an adult mouse ( Frozen/Thawed ) once a week or so. Oh and you need a heat lamp but that can be just a chicken lamp with an incandescant bulb. Since they are temperate species you want to make sure they have a cool end to stay in when they are warm.

[Joe]

Milk snakes and king snakes are both in the same general family, Lampropeltis, that is why they are grouped together in the forums, and to answer your question on whether they are canabals aswell or not I would say typically no, but accidents happen, I have had hatchling corns even eat other corns, lampro's some lampros are great starter snakes and others not so much, cant go wrong with a corn though, good luck!