#Honduran milksnake morphs skin
The little snakes will start feeding after their first skin shed, which may occur anywhere from 5 to 10 after birth. The hatchlings are quite large and robust around 8 inches long, and also have a darker coloration than their parents. Sometimes females come together at communal egg-laying sites, most likely because of the lack of suitable nesting sites, and not for socialization reasons.Īfter an incubation period of about 10 weeks, the eggs hatch in August or September. The eggs are laid decaying plants, beneath rocks, rotting logs, compost or manure piles, under boards, and in loose soil. This is an oviparous species, meaning that they lay eggs, usually, females lay 3 to 24 leathery-shelled eggs per clutch normally in early June. The mating season occurs in May just after they emerge from brumation. Milk snakes are very beneficial, particularly for farmers, since they hunt down small rodents considered pest often found on farm buildings and barns.
Honduran milk snakes are opportunistic feeders, and use constriction to kill their prey, by wrapping their body tightly around the animal until the blood flow stops. They also eat other reptiles like lizards and other snakes including their own species and even venomous snakes (ophiophagy). Their diet in the wild includes small mammals like voles or rodents such as mice and rats, birds and eggs. The subspecific scientific name hondurensis is a Latinization Honduras, which is their primary country of origin even though they are also found in other countries. While the species-specific name triangulum is derived from the Latin word triangulus meaning "having three angles". The Genus name Lampropeltis is derived from 2 Greek words lampros meaning "bright" and pelta which means "shield". Their predators include birds of prey, wild felids, and of course humans which often kill them out of fear and confusion with dangerous snakes. Their lifespan in the Wild is about 15 years while in captivity they reach 20 or more years. Their pattern resembles that of venomous coral snakes in an attempt to protect them from predators. Using quick, jerky movements they also try to startle potential predators by flashing their bright colored bands as a danger signal. Like most snake species when threatened, the Honduran milk snake will try to flee, but if cornered, they will stand their ground, raising the head ready to strike. Sometimes they shake the thin tail quickly in leaf litter which makes them sound like a rattlesnake. When active these snakes are diurnal in the spring and fall and become nocturnal during the hot summer days. The hibernation or more accurately brumation period lasts from late October or early November until April or May. It's probably much easier to spot them crossing roads at night. These are solitary animals and are rarely seen basking in the sun during the daytime, they prefer to stay under an object or rock in direct sunlight, absorbing heat indirectly from the underside.
They are among the most common milk snakes bred in captivity, with several morphs being "created" by breeders, such as Anerythristic, Snow, Hypo, Ghost to mention a few. On average they weigh about 2.8 pounds (1.27 kg). The Honduran milk snake is considered one of the largest milk snake sub-species larger than the Eastern milk snake found in the USA. Adult snakes average 4 to 5 feet in length, but very large captive specimens measuring up to 6 or 7 feet in length are known. These rings may or may not extend onto the belly and completely encircle the snake. However if instead of yellow rings, there are deep orange ones the specimen is referred to as a tangerine phase. Usually, their base color is red with very distinct rings or bands of black and yellow, the tricolored. In the wild, the Honduran milk snake occurs in 2 different coloration varieties, known as the tricolored and the tangerine phase. These snakes are found from sea level up to 5,000 feet in higher mountainous terrain. Being so close to the equator, the climate in their habitat sustains less seasonal variation. They inhabit low to medium elevations of the sub-tropical rainforest and grassland, usually among the leaf litter present on the ground. They are considered a subspecies of milk snake. One of several quite similar milk snake subspecies found from southeastern Canada through most of the continental United States to Central America and northern South America. The Honduran milk snake or Honduran milksnake ( Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis) is a non-venomous colubrid snake found in Nicaragua, and Northeastern Costa Rica and as its common name indicates Honduras.