|
Eastern Milk Snake Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum Average Length: | 24-52 inches | | | | | Sexual Maturity | 3-4 years | | Breeding Season: | May-July | | Incubation Period: | 60-90 days | | ClutchSize: | 6-24 eggs, typically 13 | | | | Diet:
| Wild: Small mammals, birds, bird eggs, reptiles, and reptile eggs, invertebrates. | | | Captive: Mice | Lifespan:
| Wild: 10-12 years
| | | | Status in Illinois:
| Common
|
The medium sized milk snake, has tan or light gray body (depending on subspecies) and brown or red blotches bordered in black. Blotches on the back are larger than those on the sides of the body. The back scales are very smooth, giving this attractive snake a very shiny appearance. Its belly is patterned with an irregular black checkerboard over white.
Mating generally occurs in spring, eggs are deposited in July and hatching occurs in August or early September. Eggs are laid in sticky clumps under rocks, in rotting vegetation, mulch piles, stumps/logs, general debris (such as boards). As the milk snake prefers small mammals as a food source, its now vacant burrow provides a perfect little nesting area in which the snake can leave its eggs.
Found in fields and woodlands. Rocky hillsides and borders of wetlands, barns and houses also provide excellent habitat for milk snakes. Wildlife Prairie State Park houses the Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum, the tan/brown/black variety.
|
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 March 2008 )
|
