Black Milksnake vs Mexican Black Kingsnake

[frankykeno]

Well with looking at kingsnake information re Melissa's threads my husband has become interested in both the black milksnake and the mexican black kingsnake as a snake he'd like to own sometime in the future.

I understand that one of them starts out banded and then goes black with age (the milksnake I believe). Are there any major differences in size, temperment, difficulty in finding one to buy, purchase cost or level of husbandry between these two snakes. The adult pics of both seem to show a pretty similar looking shiney black snake.

I saw the most lovely milksnake. I think it was called an Albino Nelsoni Milksnake....lovely bright red, with white bands and thin almost neon yellow bands....very amazing looking!


~~Jo~~

[Python-77]

Well the biggest diff will be size the Black milk is the largest of the milksnake Sub species mine is 2 y/o and only about 5 1/2' long both his parents are over 7 ft long the female is nearly 8'. They are good eaters and take to handling well. They start out banded and turn solid by 2 years of age. Mine is a pig and takes down a Med Rat once a week.

[xdeus]

I love black snakes. Although I don't have any yet, I have been doing a lot of research into both the Black milks and kings. The black milks, I believe, are one of the largest milk snakes topping out at 6-7 feet. The king will get to a little over half that size, so about 3-4 feet. Interestingly, the male is typically larger than the female for black milks. They cost about twice as much as a king, running about $80-$150.

Black milks also do not require an extra heat source as they thrive in temps from 70-80 degrees.

I hope that answers some of your questions.

[frankykeno]

Thank you both so much for the information. As I said, we aren't considering getting whichever one we pick for quite awhile as we're busy with our ball pythons but it's great to get a bit more focused on which one we'd like.

I'd love to see a picture of your Black Milksnake if you don't mind posting one Python-77. I'll have to run check and see if you have any gallery pics.

So black milksnakes get almost twice as large as mexican black kingsnakes....correct? How are they both as far as girth? My husband Mike has quite large hands and to be honest prefers a girthy sort of snake as he feels more comfortable handling them then really slim bodied varieties.


~~Joanna~~

[xdeus]

Is this girthy enough for you?

http://www.kingsnake.com/highsierra/...blackmilks.htm

[Python-77]

They get pretty girthy as they get older, here are a fwe pics of my male,





He is 2 y/o yesterday as a matter of fact.

[xdeus]

I love that third picture; it really shows his colors.

I should also mention that they are pretty small when they're young. Not nearly as girthy as a baby ball.

[frankykeno]

Oh thank you both so much for the pictures. I can't wait for Mike to get home from work and show him. I think the Black Milksnake would be perfect for him at some point. Sean, I noticed it was noted as Black Honduran Milksnake. Is that the proper term or a certain type of Black? His irredescence (sp) is wonderful! How old was he when he started to go black. I think I read they are tri-colored as babies???? Also I have a lovely 6 sided plexiglass acquarium type thing (on a black wooden stand) that just sits empty here. Would that sort of enclosure be appropriate when we get a baby/young black milksnake? I'll go read a bunch of caresheets of course.

~~Jo~~

[Python-77]

its a black milk I did a cut and paste mess up that day and jsut never fixxed it.

[Shelby]

Seems to me that the black milks usually have whiteish skin between the scales that makes them look less of an over-all black like my mexican black king. I love my little king.



Now, if you want the ULTIMATE black snake. Look into eastern indigos. Many states require a permit to own one though.

Here's a great indigo gallery: http://www.indigosnakes.com/eastern_indigo_pics.htm