New to the forum

Milksnake Mom · 07-03-19, 03:49 PM

I am new to the forum and have two Pueblan milk snakes, Tiffany, who I got in March, and Milton, who I got a couple of days ago.

Milton is a baby, about six to eight inches long and today I cannot find him in his aquarium. He has two hides and a humidity box, fake plants, two water sources and aspen substrate and I am not sure if he is moving as I move the substrate to check for him and he is not in his hide that he likes - it is small and he fit in it perfectly. I cannot find him - I even checked under the aquarium to see if I could see him.

Tiffany hid on me in her aquarium when I first got her and I finally located her hiding in the substrate. I am hoping Milton makes an appearance- it would truly stink if he got out somehow but he was not long enough to reach the screen top - I have a new screen top on order to fit his odd sized tank which is 12 x 36 inches and is 16 inches tall and the seals are good. The current screen I have is too wide and I have it weighed down as my clamps did not fit and I have to go get new ones but it might be too late. I hope to have good news tonight when he would start moving around.

This is Tiffany.

Tiffany has been a great eater but is shy about eating and likes to eat under her food dish. She is getting better about being handled - the last few times I did not get musked.

I am also on the hunt for some female garter snakes to have a community tank of snakes that are active during the day. That tank is set up with a secure fitting lids with clamps and hides, a commercially purchased stick and fake plants and a humidity box. Those have been about as easy to find as Milton is right now.

I look forward to learning about everyone's snakes and their stories.

PanUzasny · 07-05-19, 12:08 PM

Welcome to the forum! Would love to see pictures of your snakes once you are able.

I have a juvenile kingnsnake (18" long or so), Mango, and he did escape through a small opening at the top of my tank. Luckily, I found him and then secured the tank. However, I couldn't find him the next day and thought for sure he had escaped again after searching through the substrate and not finding him. However, that night I saw him sitting on top of my LED light that I had put inside the enclosure - I must have just missed him during my searches. So, I'd say the odds that Milton is hiding in the substrate somewhere are pretty likely!

Good luck!

Milksnake Mom · 07-07-19, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PanUzasny

Welcome to the forum! Would love to see pictures of your snakes once you are able.

I have a juvenile kingnsnake (18" long or so), Mango, and he did escape through a small opening at the top of my tank. Luckily, I found him and then secured the tank. However, I couldn't find him the next day and thought for sure he had escaped again after searching through the substrate and not finding him. However, that night I saw him sitting on top of my LED light that I had put inside the enclosure - I must have just missed him during my searches. So, I'd say the odds that Milton is hiding in the substrate somewhere are pretty likely!

Good luck!

Milton was hiding in the rim of one of his hides and I did not lift it high enough to see him. He is secure with a proper fitting lid and cage clamps. It is amazing how well they can hide.

Milksnake Mom · 07-06-19, 01:58 PM

Milton was in his cage the whole time, hiding in the lip of one of his hides!

I also added Sonora, another Pueblan milksnake whose owner wanted to rehome her. She is the friendliest of the three. Tiffany made her "time to feed me" appearance so I have her fuzzy thawing. They are all fascinating!

Milksnake Mom · 07-06-19, 01:59 PM

And Milton's cage is finally secured with a proper screen top and clips.

Milksnake Mom · 07-07-19, 08:27 AM

I am trying to upload pictures of my three, Milton, Tiffany and Sonora. Looks like they are attached for your viewing pleasure.

PanUzasny · 07-07-19, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milksnake Mom

I am trying to upload pictures of my three, Milton, Tiffany and Sonora. Looks like they are attached for your viewing pleasure.

Glad he was still in the enclosure! Beautiful snakes, by the way!

Milksnake Mom · 07-08-19, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PanUzasny

Glad he was still in the enclosure! Beautiful snakes, by the way!

Thank you. I love them and garter snakes as well. My first garter arrives on Wednesday, a Checkered garter snake. My Puget Sound has not been born yet but hopefully soon.

Milton came from the same breeder as Tiffany and he has chosen to hide under a water dish the way Tiffany does. As his tank is on a stand with a new secure top with multiple clips to hold it in place, I can look underneath to see where he is without disturbing him.

Sonora is still hanging outside of her hide and it is fun to watch her explore when she is in the mood. Tiffany comes out when she is hungry and she now has me well trained.

toddnbecka · 07-07-19, 02:58 PM

When using a screen top on an aquarium, I cut pegboard to fit inside the plastic tank rim to prevent wee babies from getting between the rim and the screen top, and possibly out at a corner. When the snake grows too large/thick to fit there the pegboard is removed.

craigafrechette · 07-07-19, 05:48 PM

I use a strip of weather stripping around the perimeter of my glass enclosures. I get nice snug fits.

Just throwing another option out there.

Albert Clark · 07-08-19, 06:27 PM

Gorgeous reptiles! All of them. Glad Milton was still chillin' in the enclosure. Be wary of putting the garters in the same enclosure with the milksnakes bc they ( milks) are ophiophagus meaning they eat other snakes. Consider a separate enclosure for your garter snake community. Kingsnakes and milksnakes are related and have similar behaviors as it relates to the ophiophagus capabilities of both.

Milksnake Mom · 07-08-19, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Gorgeous reptiles! All of them. Glad Milton was still chillin' in the enclosure. Be wary of putting the garters in the same enclosure with the milksnakes bc they ( milks) are ophiophagus meaning they eat other snakes. Consider a separate enclosure for your garter snake community.

Each milksnake has his or her own enclosure for that reason and I have a separate garter enclosure - a 40 gallon tank with hides, a humidity box and a commercially purchased branch. I hope to make some of those "rocks" that are magnetic shelves with plants placed in them for further enrichment.

Albert Clark · 07-08-19, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milksnake Mom

Each milksnake has his or her own enclosure for that reason and I have a separate garter enclosure - a 40 gallon tank with hides, a humidity box and a commercially purchased branch. I hope to make some of those "rocks" that are magnetic shelves with plants placed in them for further enrichment.

Great! Glad you decided to go that way.

Milksnake Mom · 07-09-19, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Great! Glad you decided to go that way.

Snakes are too expensive to end up as another snake's dinner.

Someday I hope to have my snake room and art room back. A family member is staying with us currently so the living room and a room off the kitchen are hosting my snakes.

Milksnake Mom · 07-10-19, 04:28 PM

And Alexa the baby Checkered garter (T. marcianus) arrived today. She is very active, ate some cut up earthworm (not the red kind) and is cruising around her enclosure exploring everything - she is very different from her Pueblan friends...except for Sonora, who wrapped herself around the temperature gauge on the side of the tank (it is a round gauge and hygrometer). I wish I could have gotten a picture of it as if one of my snakes is going to do something funny, it will be Sonora.