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Pueblan Milk Snake
Snake
Beginner
Lampropeltis polyzona
Lifespan
15-20+ years
Adult size
60-90 cm
Temperament
Flighty and musky when young; calmer adults
Temperature
19–30°C
Humidity
40–60%
Vivarium
90 x 45 x 45 cm (adult)
Wikipedia →
Native to southern Puebla, eastern Morelos and northern Oaxaca in Mexico, in dry, rocky scrub. A slim milk snake with bright red bands separated by black-edged white or cream bands, mimicking venomous coral snakes. Smaller than the Honduran milk snake, it is a favourite for its vivid colours and easy care. Hatchlings are fast, flighty escape artists that often musk.
Care information is provided for educational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice.
🔥 Heating
Heat one end with halogen lamps or a heat mat on a thermostat, giving a basking surface of 29-32 °C and a cool end of 21-26 °C. Nights can fall to about 19 °C but should go no lower.
💡 Lighting
A 12-hour day and night cycle. Low-output UVB giving a UVI of about 1-2 at the basking spot is recommended but not essential.
🪨 Substrate
A topsoil, coir and sand mix, aspen or coconut husk, about 5-10 cm deep for burrowing, with leaf litter on top.
🍽 Feeding
Frozen-thawed mice no wider than 1.5 times the snake's widest point. Hatchlings (pinkies) every 5-7 days, juveniles every 7-10 days and adults every 10-14 days.
💧 Water
A sturdy water bowl always available and cleaned weekly. Keep the vivarium fairly dry, with a humid hide of damp moss at the cool end.
🏠 Enrichment
Several tight hides, cork, branches, leaf litter and plants. Escape-proof doors and vents are vital, especially for hatchlings.
🩺 Health Considerations
Hardy; watch for stuck sheds, mites, respiratory infections in cold or damp vivaria, and obesity. Milk snakes eat other snakes, so always house them alone.
🤲 Handling
Young snakes are flighty and may musk, thrash or nip; most calm down with brief, regular handling. Avoid handling for 48 hours after feeding or while in shed. Non-venomous.
⚖️ Legal Restrictions
No licence needed in the UK. It is not CITES-listed and not covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 or any invasive-species restriction.
📋 Additional Notes
Long sold as Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli; a 2014 revision placed it in L. polyzona (the Atlantic Central American milk snake). The light bands may be white, cream, apricot or orange, and albino, anerythristic and ghost morphs are bred. Males have longer tails; probe to confirm sex.