New Milk Snake

[jswhitex]

Good morning everybody and thank you in advance for your help. I had a student bring in a milk snake that our class is going to keep as a pet. He/she is just a baby and I am wondering what the best food for him/her would be...she is roughly the size of a pencil and I believe pinkies are too much for her to handle at the present moment. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you!

[Cheesenugget]

I don't have a milk snake although I have an adult king. I do have a baby CP who started out pencil thin as well. Yours may be a little smaller. I think for that size, a day old mouse pinkie should work as that is what I fed mine with no issues but other more experienced owners/breeders will confirm same Posting a pic would help if you can.

[Bogertophis]

I agree...a small (newborn) pinkie mouse should be fine. ("preemies" if you can find them, lol...)

[pretends2bnormal]

Tiny snakes can handle more food than we often expect. Day old or "small" pinky mice will be fine. Pencil thickness isn't too small for that.

I recently picked up a corn snake that started out as thick as a shoelace at most, weighed a whole 5 grams. Even he could manage a 1 gram day old pinky mouse just fine.

Here is him a few meals ago around 7 or 8 grams with a mouse in his mouth.


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[Bogertophis]

If you can't find newborn pinkies, you could also try a mouse tail-tip.

[EL-Ziggy]

I'm almost certain your critter can handle a mouse pinky. After a few meals it'll be ready for mice fuzzies. You'll be surprised at the size of prey some snakes can take down. Ideally the prey item should be 1-1.5x the widest part of the snake's body.

[Sunnieskys]

It can take a pinky. Weigh it weekly. They will move to two pinkies pretty fast.

[Craiga 01453]

Yup, pinkies will be fine. I've never kept Milks, but I've had Kings and corns.
It's impressive what they can handle for prey size. But, that being said, it's best to stay on the smaller side when feeding colubrids.

[jswhitex]

Thank you everybody...seems like the consensus is pinkies, so pinkies it is!!!