The official Black Milksnake thread!!

[Suzy]

I love black milks, this thread is an awesome idea! I really want one for myself sometime in the future... Is there any reason why they are kept on the cooler side? Would it be okay if I kept them at the same temps as my corns (usually 82-88F during the day and 70-80F during the night)?

Their normal habitat is at 4500-6000' in elevation in the mountains of Panama and Costa Rica. They are usually at the low to mid 70s in their natural habitat year round.
I have spoken with several people about Black Milks, and they say that if Black Milks are kept too warm they begin to cruise and act as though they are panting as they pace their viv. They are much more comfortable at cooler temperatures.
Another risk of keeping them too warm is frequent shedding and digesting their meals too quickly, which can (i'm not saying it will) cause obesity.
I keep mine at room temperature, and he has been doing really well. He's growing quickly, but not too quickly. The lowest temps he sustains are 68 (on a rare occasion) and the highest is about 80. I can see that he paces his viv much more when it's 80 degrees, so I keep a fan on his viv when it gets that hot. I try to keep his temps between 72 and 78 on average, though.
Sorry for being so lengthy! I absolutely adore Black Milks, and I could talk about them for hours.

 

[EmJagsz]

Their normal habitat is at 4500-6000' in elevation in the mountains of Panama and Costa Rica. They are usually at the low to mid 70s in their natural habitat year round.
I have spoken with several people about Black Milks, and they say that if Black Milks are kept too warm they begin to cruise and act as though they are panting as they pace their viv. They are much more comfortable at cooler temperatures.
Another risk of keeping them too warm is frequent shedding and digesting their meals too quickly, which can (i'm not saying it will) cause obesity.
I keep mine at room temperature, and he has been doing really well. He's growing quickly, but not too quickly. The lowest temps he sustains are 68 (on a rare occasion) and the highest is about 80. I can see that he paces his viv much more when it's 80 degrees, so I keep a fan on his viv when it gets that hot. I try to keep his temps between 72 and 78 on average, though.
Sorry for being so lengthy! I absolutely adore Black Milks, and I could talk about them for hours.

Lengthy often provides the most useful information, and that's exactly what you have provided me with! Thank you! I have yet to do any considerable research on these guys, as I am not anticipating a black milk any time soon, but it's good to read these things from people who have first-hand experience with this type of snake. Thank you again

 

[The_Thunderer]

I'm keeping mine in an unheated tank because of everything Suzy said. The house is between 72 and 78 degrees right now and MIGHT get as high as 82 in the summer. When I first got him, he tended to do exactly what Suzy said in "pacing his viv" because I had a uth under him. He seems much more "calm" than before and is quite the character.

That reminds me that I don't think I've posted pics of him on this thread, yet... Here's Shazam!

In his "transport" container.

I just LOVE him!! LOL. These are OLDER pics, so I've gotta get update pics soon.

 

[Kevin S.]

How long does it take these guys to shed? I joined the club last week (picked up a subadult male on Thursday). He was in blue when I got him and just cleared up a few days ago, but still hasn't shed. Assuming he wasn't blue until the day I got him and that he sheds today, that's a 9 day shed cycle. Now I've been out of snakes for a while, but I don't remember any of my corns taking nearly that long to shed. Did I just manage to get an oddball somehow?

 

[The_Thunderer]

My milk and my corns shed between 5-7 days after they "clear up". So, as of now, I wouldn't really worry about it yet. Just wait and you'll see brand new "clothes" on your guy in a little while. LOL.

 

[The_Thunderer]

Well, several other Black Milksnake owners said we need to have our own thread... so I'm reviving this one with a couple of my most recent pics of Shazam... Hope the others follow suit!!!

These are from about a month ago... Enjoy!

Please don't poop on the Christmas ornament, Shazam!

Yes, Shazam... I was just on the computer. Can you smell me?

Patroling the table...

I know I posted these last two on his progression thread... but here they are again. LOL.
Shazam, you're a TERRESTRIAL snake! LOL.

Okay, fellow Black Milksnake owners - let's keep the thread alive!

 

[CaptBogart]

Cool, I've been waiting for a thread to start on the "Other Black Snake" for awhile...

I keep mine in a tank in my snake room with the rest. He's on a lower shelf so it doesn't get as hot. When he was little I kept him on the bottom rack where it was coolest.

Coal, 1.0 late '07 Black Milk
When I got him

A few months ago

He's had a few sheds since then, so I'll be getting update pics soon...

 

[classdwhite]

sweet my threads been bumped back up!

looks like the number of BM owners is increasing nicely here. thats great, theyre awesome snakes. ill try to get some new shots of my beasts later.

 

[ZoologyGirl]

I'll post the most recent pics I have of mine. I'll take newer pics once I get my new computer, they both have shed a couple times after these pictures.

Wrath, my 07.

And Envy, an 08

 

[ZoologyGirl]

I'll post the most recent pics I have of mine. I'll take newer pics once I get my new computer, they both have shed a couple times after these pictures.

Wrath, my 07.

And Envy, an 08

 

[Suzy]

Yay, the thread is reprised! Thanks, Fred!
I love Shazam - he looks so awesome!
And CaptBogart, I love your Black Milk. It looks like he's got just a little bit of color to lose before he's completely black.
And Heather, I love that picture of Envy! Wrath is a handsome little guy, too.

These are a few of the most recent shots of Joakim from his progression thread. I'll have to get some more recent shots of him soon for this thread. Interestingly enough, he's lost most of the band on his nose - it's pretty much brown now. He changed a lot in the 3 weeks since he's had his pictures taken.

 

[The_Thunderer]

Wow... They all look great! Most of ours still have colors... but Capt. Bogart... Coal looks AWESOME! Man, I really can't wait for Shazam to change more too.

 

[CaptBogart]

Wow... They all look great! Most of ours still have colors... but Capt. Bogart... Coal looks AWESOME! Man, I really can't wait for Shazam to change more too.

Thanks! He isn't from the "Zoo" stock, and I've noticed from looking at the others, that at almost two years old, he's about a year ahead in progression. Oh, and he's close to three foot already too... :eek1:

 

[ZoologyGirl]

Thanks! He isn't from the "Zoo" stock, and I've noticed from looking at the others, that at almost two years old, he's about a year ahead in progression. Oh, and he's close to three foot already too... :eek1:

yeah I've noticed the zoo stock tend to take their sweet ol' time changing to black lol. Wrath is about the same size as yours (close to 3 feet) and still has a lot of color showing.

 

[Tula_Montage]

Woa. The number of black milk owners has really grown in the last couple of years!

Here is my boy Noir. He's an 06.

Baby Noir through to big boy Noir. He is around the 5ft mark now but a chunky big thing and growing all the time!

 

[Michael823]

WOW, Oh My God, Incredible! That is the coolest progression I've ever seen Tula Montage. I had no idea Black milk snakes became so jet black. I just thought it was more black speckling, and an overall black wash, but yours is absolutely spectacular.

 

[Michael823]

By the way, I have a couple of questions.

How long does the full transformation to solid black take?

Do most/all turn out to be such a solid black?

And lastly, are they somewhat common at reptile shows and/or online?

 

[CaptBogart]

By the way, I have a couple of questions

How long does the full transformation to solid black take?

Varies by snake, some just take longer than others...

Do most/all turn out to be such a solid black?

They turn solid black as adults.

And lastly, are they somewhat common at reptile shows and/or online?

You really have to look for them online. I haven't seen any at the shows. Mine actually came from Lee Abbott... of Abbotts Okeetee's

 

[Michael823]

Thanks! They are beautiful, I will definitely have to find out more about these guys.

 

[Tula_Montage]

By the way, I have a couple of questions.

How long does the full transformation to solid black take?

Do most/all turn out to be such a solid black?

And lastly, are they somewhat common at reptile shows and/or online?

I got Noir in July or August (can't remember lol) 07. By August 08 he was jet black. It was almost exactly a year. But I have heard some lines of Black milks change sooner or longer than others. I have seen some pictures of adults with a little faint hint of banding, but most I have seen are solid black.

In the UK, black milks are VERY few and far between. A lot of people don't even know they exist. I was extremely lucky to find Noir in the UK and he was rather expensive. But I just knew I wanted one regardless of the price. Now you can import them easily enough but the price tag is still there.