Eastern Milk Snake

The eastern milk snake is a non-venomous subspecies of milksnake. The calm snake is a popular name in the pet trade.

Scientific Name

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Squamata
Suborder	Serpentes
Family	Colubridae
Genus	Lampropeltis
Species	L. triangulum
Scientific Name	Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum

Quick Information

Also Known as	Spotted adder, adder, sand-king, thunder-and-lightning snake, milk sucker, leopard-spotted snake, checkered snake, cow-sucker, chicken snake, checkered adder, chain snake, king snake, pilot, red snake, sachem snake, highland adder, horn snake, common milk snake, blatschich schlange, king snake, house snake, scarlet milk snake, and  milk sucker,
Description	Size: 24-26 in (60-91 cm) Color:  The dorsal saddle is reddish brown or simply red, brown blotches with black borders on the sides and top. The belly has a checkered pattern in gray and black. Juveniles exhibit blotches in intense red shades
Distribution	North Carolina to Alabama, Ontario to Maine
Habitat	Meadows, woodlands, pastures, and near water streams
Lifespan	10-12 years in the wild; up to 20 years in the captivity
Diet	Mice, earthworms, insects, frogs, non-venomous eastern garter snakes, and small birds
Predators	Raccoons, skunks, and opossums

Behavior

• The snake has a docile deportment and doesn’t get aggressive unless threatened.
• The snake constricts its preys unless they suffocate to death.

Mating & Reproduction

 From late April to May (spring season), the snakes mate. Being an oviparous species, the female snake lays 4-18 eggs either in June or July. Eggs are creamy-white in color, often laid inside deep burrows.

Life-cycle

Hatchlings emerge from the eggs around September, each sizing 4-8 inches. They have an egg tooth that helps them break the hard exterior of the egg. Their sexual maturity is attained at the age of 3 or 4 years.

Interesting Facts

• The species is once thought to be an intergrade (meaning sharing the same locality with another species, and having some common physical attributes) with scarlet kingsnake, but the theory doesn’t stand anywhere.

References

1. https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/reptiles/snakes/eastern-milk-snake/eastern_milksnake.php
2. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Snake-Species/Eastern-Milk-Snake/
3. http://herpsofnc.org/eastern-milksnake/
4. http://kysnakes.ca.uky.edu/snake/lampropeltis-triangulum
5. http://oplin.org/snake/fact%20pages/milk_snake/milk_snake.html
6. http://wildlifeofct.com/eastern%20milksnake.html