Mexican milk snake facts for kids
The Mexican milk snake (scientific name: Lampropeltis triangulum annulata) is a type of milk snake. It is a species of snake that is not venomous, meaning it's not dangerous if it bites you.
Quick facts for kids Mexican milk snake |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Lampropeltis |
| Species: | |
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L. t. annulata
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| Trinomial name | |
| Lampropeltis triangulum annulata Kennicott, 1861
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Contents
Where They Live
You can find the Mexican milk snake in parts of Mexico, especially in the warm, dry areas of Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo León. It also lives further north in the southwestern part of Texas in the United States.
What They Look Like
The Mexican milk snake is famous for its bright colors! It has clear bands of red, black, and cream or yellow. Because of these colors, it sometimes looks a lot like a coral snake. This is a trick to make predators think it's dangerous.
The exact shades of cream or yellow can change depending on where the snake lives. Snakes from western areas might have cleaner cream colors. Those from the east and north might have slightly duller creams. Snakes from the south often have yellow or even orange-yellow bands.
The snake's belly has a checkered pattern of black and white. Snakes from southern areas have more black on their bellies, while northern snakes have more white.
How to Tell Them Apart
Mexican milk snakes have light bands that are often darker than other milk snakes. The first light band near their black head can be cream-yellow, bright yellow, or even orange-yellow. The other light bands are usually a lighter shade of these colors.
Their red bands are very dark and clear. They are also about two or three times wider than the black bands. The red color goes all the way down to the snake's sides and belly scales.
Mexican milk snakes are usually shorter and wider than other milk snake types. They grow to be about 24 to 30 inches (61–76 cm) long.
Milk Snake vs. Coral Snake
It's important to remember that the Mexican milk snake is not venomous, unlike the coral snake, which looks similar. Here's a simple way to tell them apart:
- On a milk snake, the red bands touch the black bands.
- On a coral snake, the red bands touch the yellow bands.
A common saying to help you remember is: "Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Red on black, venom lack."
Their Behavior
Mexican milk snakes are mostly active at night (this is called being nocturnal) or during dawn and dusk (this is called being crepuscular). They like to hide when it's hot. They are most active when the weather is cooler, like in spring and fall.
They mainly eat rodents and lizards. Sometimes, they might even eat other snakes! Like all kingsnakes, they will eat almost any animal that fits in their mouth if they are very hungry.
These snakes prefer to live in dry, brushy areas with sandy soil. Even though they are mostly active at night, they sometimes warm themselves in the sun for short periods during the day.
Life Cycle
Mexican milk snakes usually breed on rainy spring evenings. About 50 days after breeding, the female snake will lay 4 to 10 eggs. These eggs will then incubate (develop) for about 55 to 60 days. When they hatch, the baby snakes are usually around 6 to 7 inches (15–17 cm) long.
As Pets
The Mexican milk snake does well when kept as a pet. Their smaller size and interesting colors make them a popular choice. They are usually calm and don't often try to bite or spray musk (a smelly liquid) when handled.
See also
In Spanish: Falsa coralillo mexicana para niños
