Honduran Milksnake

ANIMAL:
Honduran Milksnake    Lampropeltis hondurensis

Type of Animal:
Colubrid

Habitat:
Subtropical/tropical forests, grasslands, lower mountainous areas

Location(s):
Honduras, Nicaragua, & NE Costa Rica

Appearance:
Broad snout band of yellow/white & second band at head base w/ same color w/ black head balance, tricolor phase w/ red ground color & yellow/white bands w/ same bands on belly, tangerine phase has black, red/orange, & orange bands w/ same bands on belly, many morphs occur in captivity, young darker than adults, males have longer thicker tails

Food/Diet:
Other snakes (including members of own species & venomous species), lizards, small mammals, birds, eggs, frogs

Status in Wild:
Stable

Conservation:
Breeding in zoos, nature centers, & herpetoculture

Lifestyle:
Solitary

Additional Info:

Called:
Male
Female
Young-Hatchling
Group-Solitary

Weight:
Male-2.3 lbs
Female-2.8 lbs

Gestation:
2 months 

Life Span:
15-20 years

Body Length:
Male-5 ft
Female-6 ft
Young-1.5-2 ft

Tail Length:
Male-1.5 ft
Female-1.3 ft

Main predators are raptors, felines, larger snakes, crocodilians, coatis, & foxes.

These nonvenomous snakes kill prey by constriction.

Sexually mature at 1.5 years.

Females lay 3-18 eggs per clutch.

People kill them due to them being mistaken for venomous coral snakes.

Usually flees if threatened but will bite/musk if cornered.

They’re nocturnal in summer & diurnal in spring & fall.

Warmer egg temps usually create males while cooler temps create females.

They’re valuable in that they eat rodents & venomous snakes.

These snakes are closely related to kingsnakes.

They’re one of the larger milksnakes.

Fun Fact(s):
They’ll often use jerky movements showing their bands to deter predators.

When they shake their tail quickly, it sounds like a rattlesnake.

These snakes make great pets, due to docile nature.

Mimicry of venomous coral snakes helps protect them from predators.
 
Called milk snakes due to incorrect belief that they drank milk from cow udders, because they were seen in barns & stables.

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