Milk Snakes

Milk Snake Facts

Milk snakes are commonly found all over North America and Central America. Their mating season typically happens throughout June. As carnivores, they will feed on rodents, birds and bird eggs, lizards and reptilian eggs, and even other snakes. Once the milk snake ambushes its meal, it squeezes the prey until it can no longer breathe, then swallows it whole.

Milk Snake Infestation

Milk snakes can be found slithering in barns or other similar structures. Their rattling of the tail may be heard if it is surprised or annoyed. Piles of elongated droppings may be found around your property. It’s often hard to say if a particular snake is on your property, as they don’t cause crop or structural damage, and rarely leave definitive proof of their presence.

Milk Snake Bites

Although unlikely for them to attack, milk snake bites are nonvenomous. These snakes won’t cause much damage beyond surprising you when you discover them. If anything, they can be beneficial to humans because they consume animals that are often much more destructive to human environments, like rodents.

Types of Milk Snakes

Milk Snake Identification

Milk snakes come in a variety of different colors and patterns, depending on the species. They can measure to five feet long with bodies that have either a blotchy or striped pattern. Dark areas may be colored tan to brown, whereas lighter areas can be orange, yellow, or white.

Milk Snakes in the Garden & Home

The milk snake prefers dark, secluded areas where they won’t be disturbed. You’ll find them hiding in barns, sheds, garages, or other areas that will provide them shelter. Outdoors, they will most likely be hiding in wooded or brush covered areas like fields or hillsides. Anywhere you find rodents, you can find a milk snake.