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  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran frankykeno's Avatar
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    Honduran Milksnake Caresheet

    If you are a soon to be a Honduran Milksnake owner or just thinking about getting a Honduran Milksnake here are some basics.

    First of all, Honduran Milksnakes make great pets but you have to know what you are getting into and be willing to commit for 15 years or more and provide adequate husbandry, food, and vet care when necessary.

    Description:

    Scientific name: Lampropeltis Triangulum Hondurensis

    Average Size: Hatchlings - 8 to 10 inches, Adults - 3.5 to 5 feet. (can grow up to 6 feet)

    Honduran Milksnakes range throughout the central Latin-American countries of Honduras and Nicaragua. There are two wild color phases of this species, the tangerine and the tricolor.

    Temperature:

    You will need to provide your Milksnake with a warm side between 82-85 F (28-29.5 C) degrees and a cool side between 72-75 F (22-24 C) degrees.

    Humidity:

    Normal ambient humidity is sufficient for this species. You can however increase the humidity during the shedding period.

    Feeding:

    Feed your Milksnake an appropriate size meal* every 3 to 5 days (young Milksnakes) or every 7 days (adults)*

    Honduran Milksnakes can eat mice their entire life, starting with small pinkie mice as hatchlings.

    Remember if you chose to feed live you must always supervise feeding and never leave a prey unattended with your snake.

    Do not handle your Milksnake for the next 48 hours following feeding. If handle too soon after a meal this could lead to regurgitation.

    * An appropriate size prey is a prey item that equal or slightly larger than your snake’s girth (widest part of your snake’s body)

    Supply Checklist:

    1 Enclosure

    Remember that young Honduran Milksnakes can be subject to stress if the enclosure is too big. You can use a glass tank. If you get a baby you will only need a 10 gallons to start with and if you chose an adult a 30 gallons is all you will ever need.

    You can also use plastic tubs (Sterilite or Rubbermaid). When it comes to plastic tubs here are the sizes you will need according to your Milksnake's size (Remember you will need a drill or soldering wand to make holes for airflow)

    Baby – 6 Quarts (14 1/2"L x 8"W x 4 5/8"H)
    Sub-Adult – 15 Quarts (17"L x 11 1/8"W x 6 3/8"H)
    Adult – 32 Quarts (23 1/2"L x 16 1/4"W x 6 3/8"H)

    No matter which enclosure you choose remember to secure the lid as Honduran Milksnakes are real escape artists.

    1 UTH (Under Tank Heater)

    Here are some products that will allow you to provide belly heat and achieve the required gradient temperatures in your enclosure: Ultratherm Heat Pads, T Rex Cobra Pads and Flexwatt Heat Tape (unlike some others they do not stick permanently to the enclosure).

    1 Thermostat

    Regardless of the device you choose to provide heat you will need a thermostat. This will allow you to maintain proper temperatures and avoid over-heating.

    I would highly recommend you to invest in a digital thermostat such as Ranco ETC-111000 or Johnson on the lower end, or Herpstat Digital Proportional Thermostat or Helix on the higher end, they might seem expensive but they are worth it. Keep in mind that if you get a cheap thermostat like the ESU 1 outlet or 3 outlets starting at 25 dollars you will get what you paid for. Considering how long your Milksnake will live, you will want to invest in something durable, reliable and safe.

    2 Hides

    Provide your Milksnake with at least 2 hiding places, in my opinion the best hides are ESU/Zilla Creature Cubbyholes. They are cozy, affordable and easy to clean.

    1 Water Dish

    Contrary to what many believe the water dish does not have to be big enough for your Honduran Milksnake to soak. It should be easy for you to clean or disinfect as needed and should not be easy for your snake to tip.

    1 Thermometer

    When it comes to temperatures you cannot guess, you MUST know. Avoid stick and dial devices as they are not accurate. To get an accurate reading I would recommend a digital thermometer.

    Substrate

    Here are some substrates that can be used in the enclosure - newspaper, paper towel or aspen work great with Honduran Milksnakes. DO NOT use pine or cedar bedding as they contain phenols that can be toxic to your snake



    Authored by: Deborah Stewart (aka Deborah)

    Downloadable PDF version can be found here http://stewartreptiles.com/Articles/HondoOwnerGuide.pdf
    Last edited by Stewart_Reptiles; 01-27-2010 at 08:00 PM. Reason: Adding info
    ~~Joanna~~

  2. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to frankykeno For This Useful Post:

    L.West (10-10-2011),liv (09-16-2013),Moofins07 (02-17-2010),reggi-BP (07-26-2011)

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