Buyer question
Is an Eastern milk snake good for beginners?
Yes: our Animal Library rates the Eastern milk snake 4 out of 5 for beginners (good first snake).
Source: the Eastern milk snake page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Eastern milk snake in the Animal Library
The detail
The eastern milk snake is the milk snake of the northeastern US and southeastern Canada, with reddish-brown blotches on a gray or tan ground rather than bright bands. It is a hardy, modest-sized snake for keepers who like native species.
- Best fit
- Native species keepers
- Handling
- 3 out of 5 (Flighty young, settles)
- Setup complexity
- 2 out of 5 (Locked lid, house singly)
- Feeding ease
- 4 out of 5 (Good feeder once started)
What to weigh
Its muted colors are less showy than tropical milk snakes. Some states regulate keeping or selling native snakes, so check local rules and buy captive-bred.