Why are Milk Snakes The Best Pet Snakes?

Ask anyone for a recommendation of a snake that makes a great pet and a milk snake is guaranteed to be one of their top choices. These mild-mannered serpents are most widely known for being mistaken as venomous coral snakes. However, aside from their reputation as being excellent copycats (a defense mechanism), they also have a fantastic reputation as pets. A ten out of ten, milk snakes can boast having both winning looks and personality – but their charms don’t end there. From affordability to day-to-day upkeep, milk snakes are winners in virtually every aspect of snake ownership. Here are 4 reasons why milk snakes are the best pet snakes:

They have a great personality

Milk snakes are well-known for being non-aggressive in nature. Calm and docile, their temperament makes them great for beginners who are just getting accustomed to handling snakes. This means their owners can spend more time bonding with their snake, rather than worrying about being hissed at. Milk snakes tend to be shy in their early years and become more tolerant to handling as they get older.

They’re beautiful

Beautiful on the inside and out, one of the biggest aspects of a milk snake’s appeal is the striking patterns and colors they come in. Their default coloration of red, black, and yellow (or sometimes white) bands is stunning, however, there are several dozen milk snake morphs that equally striking. Many of these morphs are different variations of red, black, white, yellow, or orange. Their patterns can also vary wildly from their original form of thick, tri-colored bands and appear as thin or thick bands of only two colors, or long, squiggly stripes along the length of their bodies.

They’re a reasonable size

The average milk snake is between 3 and 4 feet long – fairly small compared to other popular pet snakes. This means they’re easier to accommodate since they can be housing in smaller tanks. Adult milk snakes can comfortably be kept in tanks as small as 20 gallons which are typically 36 inches (length) x 18 inches (width) x 25 inches (height).

They’re simple (and inexpensive) to feed

Using live rodents for feedings is generally advised against because of the potential injuries that they can cause to the snake. Milk snakes actually prefer their meals pre-killed and do not need to be trained to accept dead rodents as other snakes might. Additionally, snakes eat relative to their body size and in the case of the milk snake, isn’t much at all. They eat once every week or so and only need a mid-sized mouse or a small rat.

So Many Reasons to Buy a Milk Snake

Milk snakes are eye-catching, the perfect size, and have a wonderful temperament. In addition to being a charming reptile, logistically, they’re relatively easy to care for as well, being cheap to feed and relatively inexpensive to house. All in all, milk snakes have all the qualities that make them one of the best pet snakes a person could own. If you’re curious and want a pet milk snake of your own, you can find these and other great snakes for sale online.