Smaller snakes lay fewer eggs and larger snakes lay more eggs. The females will lay their eggs under logs or buried several inches deep in the soil.Įach female will lay two to 17 eggs each year. When the temperature rises, the snakes will emerge from their dens and mate, usually from April to June. They are in a state known as brumation, which is a state of dormancy similar to hibernation.
Milksnakes spend their winters in communal dens underground. They have also been known to shake their tails to mimic rattlesnakes when threatened. The snake will mimic the colors of both the venomous coral snake and venomous copperhead, which can keep it from being preyed upon. Predators of the eastern milksnake include opossums, skunks, raccoons, hawks, owls and coyotes. They will eat more birds and rodents as they get older. When they are young, milksnakes commonly eat other small snakes, amphibians and insects. Milksnakes are constrictors that will wrap their bodies around their prey and hold it until it stops breathing and dies. They often have a white nose and a dark spot in the shape of a “Y” or “V” on the back of their heads. Its belly will have a checkerboard pattern.Įach snake will show its most vivid coloration when it hatches and will get darker as it ages. The base color of the snake is a cream or light gray color.
It has red, brown or copper spots on its back and each spot has a black border.
The eastern milksnakes appearance can vary greatly, especially in different geographical ranges.
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