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Mexican Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum annulata)
Mexican Milk Snake Photograph by Edward J. Wozniak, Public Health Image Library (PHIL). License: Public Domain. (view image details)
MEXICAN MILK SNAKE FACTS
DescriptionThe Mexican Milk Snake has red, black and cream banding. It mimics the Coral Snake. There are usually between 14 and 25 creamy white, yellow or tangerine orange bands bordered by black separated by broad red rings. The black rings are wider near the centre of the back. The light color varies with location: whites to the west, dirty white to the north and east, orange to the south. The underside is checkered black and white, and is mainly black in snakes from the south of the range and mainly white in snakes from the north of the range. The head is black with a pale band behind the eyes followed by a black band. The nose is often speckled with white and the chin is white. Mexican Milk Snakes are nocturnal, and hide during the heat of the day. Size length to 76cm Environment semi-arid brush areas with sandy soil. Food They eat mainly rodents and lizards, and sometimes other snakes. Breeding The female lays 4-10 eggs which hatch after 55 - 60 days. Newborns are around 15cm - 20cm long. Range north eastern Mexico in Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Nuevo León. Also found in the United States in south western Texas. Notes The Mexican Milk Snake adapts well to captivity and makes an attractive pet snake. They are usually quite docile, and not prone to biting or excreting musk. Classification
Relatives in same Genus Gray-banded Kingsnake (L. alterna) Prairie Kingsnake (L. calligaster calligaster) Mole Kingsnake (L. calligaster rhombomaculata) California Kingsnake (L. getula californiae) Florida Kingsnake (L. getula floridana) Eastern Kingsnake (L. getula getula) Speckled Kingsnake (L. getula holbrooki) Desert Kingsnake (L. getula splendida) Mexican Kingsnake (L. mexicana mexicana) Pueblan Milk Snake (L. triangulum campbelli) Scarlet Kingsnake (L. triangulum elapsoides) Honduran Milk Snake (L. triangulum hondurensis) Nelson's Milk Snake (L. triangulum nelsoni) Sinaloan Milk Snake (L. triangulum sinaloae) Red Milk Snake (L. triangulum syspila) Milk Snake (L. triangulum triangulum) San Diego Mountain Kingsnake (L. zonata pulchra) Home | Mammals | Reptiles | Birds | Insects | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Contact Us |