The official Black Milksnake thread!!

[ZoologyGirl]

Generally speaking, what are their personalities like?

Well, all three that I have are a little "jumpy or nervous" but never prone to biting. Just moving back and forth quickly. Once used to you holding them, they're pretty much like corns or kings... however, they're kept cooler than corns or kings (I don't have any heat for my black milks so the high for them is about 75 degrees).

GREAT snakes! I just think they're wonderful!!!

I have to agree with Fred, that about sums them up.

When I first take them out they are very wiggly, quick moving...but after a few minutes they calm right down. I've only been bit once but it was a feeding response, not an aggression bite.

 

[ZoologyGirl]

Here are some updated pics I took. I have taken Wrath upstairs with me and he is now chilling around my neck very calmly, hasn't even moved for a couple minutes while I type this...

Both are San Antonio Zoo line, though from different breeders.

Here is Wrath, an 07, I'm guessing around 4 feet long, maybe just shy of that.
As you can see, he still has quite a bit of red showing through.

Here is the female, Envy, an 08.

 

[CaptBogart]

What's the longest you guys have had a pretty visible red/white pattern remaining? My male is approaching 3 years and last I checked it is still pretty visible. Actually, I think I'll go check on them now and see what's what.

My guy's a late '07, and was showing a little red on his neck and a little grey on the tip of his nose around the same month in '09. All that's left right now is that you can barely see the grey nose...

 

[EmJagsz]

Hey guys, haven't posted here in a while but I have a question about my little girl. I've noticed that when I handle her, her body sounds crackly sort of.. It's not an all the time thing, it happens occasionally so I am a bit concerned at what this sound is. I am handli g her very gently, she is only a little girl, prob about 20-30g (haven't weighed her lately but that us what I'm guessing).

Other than this cracking sound issue, everything else is fine. She eats just fine, she just shed today. Thoughts??

 

[The_Thunderer]

I'm sorry... IDK what's going on with your little girl. Could it be that she's ready to shed and the old skin is "crackly" against itself? I know... stupid question, but IDK what else it could be. Hope you figure it out soon.

Glad that she's fine otherwise!

 

[RavenSpirit360]

Beautiful Black snakes.. I might get one oneday..!

 

[CaptBogart]

Hey guys, haven't posted here in a while but I have a question about my little girl. I've noticed that when I handle her, her body sounds crackly sort of.. It's not an all the time thing, it happens occasionally so I am a bit concerned at what this sound is. I am handli g her very gently, she is only a little girl, prob about 20-30g (haven't weighed her lately but that us what I'm guessing).

Other than this cracking sound issue, everything else is fine. She eats just fine, she just shed today. Thoughts??

I'm sorry... IDK what's going on with your little girl. Could it be that she's ready to shed and the old skin is "crackly" against itself? I know... stupid question, but IDK what else it could be. Hope you figure it out soon.

Glad that she's fine otherwise!

Yeah, you'll hear that before going blue, and there's another sound that their skin makes when they're deep blue and really close to shedding, kind of like a squeak, lol, it's true... I have Corns that do the crackling noise too. I guess you notice it more when you have a lot that you handle...

 

[EmJagsz]

When I noticed the crackly sound last night, it was after she had already shed... :s

 

[Lovin2act]

Post some recent pics of her so we can see her, it might help a little bit with a visual on her from other keepers

 

[EmJagsz]

I'll try to get some pics, but she looks like a cute normal little baby milk snake haha

 

[Suzy]

The only thing I can think of in regards to that is low humidity.

My Black Milk had an extremely bad shed his last shed cycle (retained eyecap and everything - I managed to get that off, though), and he even managed to rip part of a scale off trying to get the eyecap off. I didn't know he was in shed, so I'm keeping a close eye on him this go around. It was all related to humidity, but I think that issue should be resolved with a larger water bowl. Here's hoping!

Here's a couple of fairly recent pictures of him (prior to the bad shed). The first one is my new favorite picture of him.

 

[Lovin2act]

I so love that pic Suzy!!! You should blow that one up and frame it! But yes good thoughts there on the possibility of it being dried out a bit. There might be a scale or two or more that are raggedy dryish and maybe kinda rub each other when moving about. Tough to say for sure but a good area of note to take a look at! Mine are kept at a pretty average humidity levels and while I dont hear the crackles when they move about, I do get the 100 piece sheds once in a while haha! I just love cleaning those up!

 

[Suzy]

If it weren't for the dust on his eye, I would already have prints. LOL - I guess I could try to photoshop it out, but that's too much work, and I'm a procrastinator.

That was actually my first bad shed with any of my snakes, so it came as a bit of a surprise to me. I just emptied out his tub, put room temperature water in there and a hand towel on the bottom, and let him swim for 15 minutes. After that, I let him crawl through a dry towel, and the eyecap came right off. It was stressful for both of us, but we were relieved when it was done. I'm keeping an eye on his scab, and I'm hoping it's gone after he sheds the next time. It'll probably take a few sheds, though.

I would suggest (to EmJagsz) putting a humid hide in there with your Black Milk to see if that helps with the crackling sounds. Or you could try a larger water bowl, which might also help.

 

[Lovin2act]

Oh yeah I see what ya mean with the dust. Buuummer!!

I have only had one bad shed where an eye cap stayed on (the whole head piece actually) and I did the water soak as you did (I did warm water) and then had her go through a towel as I gave some pressure to pull off any left over skin. The head piece stayed on though so I slowly grasped her head in one hand and got her to calm down for a sec while holding her that way, and then gently was able to remove the head piece in a slow pull from behind with the other hand. And yeah she was a tad pissy with me right after but we kissed and made up after a minute or two

 

[The_Thunderer]

Suzy!!! I love that head shot!!!! Can I use it on my desktop???? Gotta have it!!!

Oh, he's looking GREAT, BTW!

 

[Suzy]

Suzy!!! I love that head shot!!!! Can I use it on my desktop???? Gotta have it!!!

Oh, he's looking GREAT, BTW!

Absolutely! I've got a higher res one (it's uncropped) if you want to use that. (Link)

Thanks!

 

[Lovin2act]

Awesome Im gonna use it too

 

[Lovin2act]

I dont what what goin on with Ashur as of late, he is the most shy of all my blacks...but the last week or so he has been a maniac all over his cage! He even sleeps outside of his cave/hide now at night under a small plant he has in with him. This is so unlike him as he is the one who stays hidden more than any other snake I have. He is either getting braver as he ages, or it's that time of year and he can smell my female a few cages away and is going coo coo for her :crazy02:

Here he is hanging off of his light fixture when I got home from work last night:

 

[EmJagsz]

Suzy, if you don't mind I would love to try and fix up the dust in the eye issue on your pic for you

 

[Lovin2act]

If you do can you post a decent res link to it on here for us? I have it as my desktop wallpaper and my phone too!!