Black Milk (Lampropeltis Triangulum Gaigeae) questions...

[Suzanne]

I guess this is the place to put it.
I am planning on getting a Black Milk here in the next few months, and I have questions about them. I've tried posting on other forums, but I get the same care sheet, which is for milks in general. I am just curious as to what those of you who have Black Milks (if any of you do) know what temps they do best on? I've heard that I won't really need a UTH for them, but i'd like to know if you guys see that as being accurate? My indoor temps are typically between 72 - 76, and that's pretty much year round. We've got central air in the summer, and heat in the winter, so it never gets dramatically cold or warm. If need be, I can raise the temps by cracking a window in the summer, so that shouldn't be a problem. I guess that's the long way of asking, do I need a UTH? Should I get one just to be safe?
Another thing is, are they pretty much like corns in the eating category? Do they eat the same type of prey at similar sizes?
And lastly, what I want to know is, how long does it take for the eggs to hatch? The clutch that i'm supposed to get one from was laid on 7/6, so i'm guessing it's about 60 days - is that correct?
Thanks for the help!

[DjN]

During the day you should have the temps be 80 on the cold end and around 85 on the warm end at night the temps can drop to room temps. As for feeding make sure they are eating before you buy one and not worrie about that problem, ideally wait until they have had 3 meals. 60 day is the ball park on hatching but it's hard to say alot depends on the incubation temps.

[telefrag]

all the people I know with gaigae keep them at room temp (75-7 and not much warmer.

and last I checked, it was a 60-70 day incubation.

[kellymack515]

BUMP! I'm thinking of getting one too so the more info the better!!

[Suzanne]

Originally Posted by Bass Assassin

During the day you should have the temps be 80 on the cold end and around 85 on the warm end at night the temps can drop to room temps. As for feeding make sure they are eating before you buy one and not worrie about that problem, ideally wait until they have had 3 meals. 60 day is the ball park on hatching but it's hard to say alot depends on the incubation temps.

Okay, thanks! I'm planning on getting mine from a breeder, so he'll make sure that they've had their first sheds and that they're eating ok.
And thanks for the info about the incubation time.

Originally Posted by telefrag

all the people I know with gaigae keep them at room temp (75-7 and not much warmer.

and last I checked, it was a 60-70 day incubation.

Great, thanks! So 72 - 75 should be appropriate? I've heard that if they are too warm, they'll want to eat too much and possibly become overweight as adults - do you know if that's correct?

Originally Posted by kellymack515

BUMP! I'm thinking of getting one too so the more info the better!!

Yay for Black Milks! I'm so excited about getting mine - it's so ridiculous, but they're such neat creatures! Going from tri colored to black in the matter of about a year. That's what really drew me to them.

[ClassD White]

I have a pair of black milks so ill chime in. I keep mine at around 71-78 degrees and only use a uth during the winter and even then i keep it at around 80-82. When kept too warm they do tend to shed very often and im not sure what it has to do with the temperatures, but they do become fat very quick if kept too warm. And as far as them feeding in regards to a corn, they will ALWAYS eat and a large male may take a medium rat, but for most 2 adult mice or sm rat should suffice. And something that is not often brought up when discussing black milks is humidity. They come from very high elevations where the humidity is higher so i try to keep my humidity about 60% or make a humid hide with damp sphagnum moss. Mine always have perfect sheds and theyre perfectly healthy and growing like weeds.

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[Suzanne]

Originally Posted by ClassD White

I have a pair of black milks so ill chime in. I keep mine at around 71-78 degrees and only use a uth during the winter and even then i keep it at around 80-82. When kept too warm they do tend to shed very often and im not sure what it has to do with the temperatures, but they do become fat very quick if kept too warm. And as far as them feeding in regards to a corn, they will ALWAYS eat and a large male may take a medium rat, but for most 2 adult mice or sm rat should suffice. And something that is not often brought up when discussing black milks is humidity. They come from very high elevations where the humidity is higher so i try to keep my humidity about 60% or make a humid hide with damp sphagnum moss. Mine always have perfect sheds and theyre perfectly healthy and growing like weeds.

Thank you so much! So i'll definitely get a UTH just in case it gets cool in the winter time.
I've read that as well. In fact I was reading a thread about black milks on another forum, and the girl who keeps him keeps him at temps of 85 - 87, and it seems like he sheds a lot.
That's good to know. So as adults, i'll prepare for medium rats at the largest, but for the most part, mice.
I'll definitely keep an eye on the humidity. Now is it okay for them to have a humid hide all the time? from what I have read, most snakes don't do well with humid hides, because of the possibility of scale rot. That's not too much of a worry with Black Milks?
That's awesome! I'm so ready to have one now! Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.

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[DavidD.]

Good choice. Im not the milksnake authority im kinda a rat snake guy

[pilot511]

I keep mine around 76-78 room temperature, if I ever put a light and it goes over 82-83ish he'll move to his cold end...He is the easiest snake I have, always eats, always sheds in one piece, easy to handle...good luck