Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis (Honduras milk snake)

Origin: northeast Costa Rica
Length: 130 to 160cm
Age: 15 years
The head is broad and slightly separated from the neck. Two natural variations are known, the well-known "tricolor" with the classic red-black-white-black band ring and the 'bicolor' also called 'mandarin' where the normally white band is orange to red in color. There is a small black dot at the end of each scale. The melanin level increases as the snakes mature. Sometimes they are almost black with a faint pattern.

Grooming
Experience: average to experienced snake keeper
Food: These snakes naturally have a very varied diet consisting of small mammals as well as a variety of lizards and snakes. Young animals sometimes also feed on small amphibians. In captivity this species does extremely well on small mammals such as mice and young rats or mice
Feed adult: every 5 days
Feed young: Every 3 to 5 days
Water bowl: Yes
Change the water: 3 times a week

Nutrition
There is the choice of offering the prey alive or dead. It is advisable to offer dead food. This is more practical and prevents the food animal from injuring your snake. In addition, it is recommended to offer the food animal with a pair of tongs and to feed your snake outside the enclosure. This ensures that your hand is not associated with food and prevents your snake from grabbing your hand while feeding. If you do go for live food, you must supervise the feeding. The prey can also injure the snake. Feed the rat snake separately, because when two snakes catch the same prey they can injure each other and sometimes eat each other themselves. The ideal prey is about as wide as the widest part of the snake.

Water
The water bowl in the enclosure must be large enough so that the hose can lie in it in its entirety. and will help to keep the humidity level in the tank, the ideal humidity is between 50% and 70%.

Cleaning
A hygienic living environment is important to keep your hose healthy. To achieve this, the accommodation will have to be cleaned regularly. Cleaning once a week is enough. In addition, to prevent the build-up of bacteria, the entire accommodation must be cleaned and disinfected a few times a year.

Handling
To get the snake used to contact with people, it is advisable to pick up and handle the animal from time to time, but how do you handle a snake, make sure you support the animal at the beginning of the body and halfway to the ends of the body. Never squeeze your hose while handling as their vertebrae are fragile and can break easily. Also make sure your hands are washed and don't smell like food. Finally, do not handle your snake when it is molting and do not handle the animal when it has just eaten. The young snakes or snakes that have not been handled before can be defensive and can attack. The snake is not poisonous, but it is better to avoid bite marks. After multiple handling, the hose will get used to it and become less defensive.

Housing
Minimum stay for 1 couple: 100 x 50 x 50
Laying surface: 0.5 m2 and 1 raised platform per hose on which the hose can lie with its entire body.
Day temperature: 24-28C
Night temperature: 22-24C
Hours of light: 12 hours
Humidity degree: 40% -60%
Ground cover: Newspapers, bark, sand or beech chips

Design
These are true bottom dwellers and naturally live among fallen leaves and branches in the bottom of the rainforest. The temperatures here are moderate and there is little difference between day and night temperatures, the humidity is relatively high. Keep this in mind when setting up an enclosure for these snakes. Offer a substrate they can dig in, such as aspen bedding or coconut-based soil, such as coir or peat. The average humidity should be around 60 to 70%. High humidity does not mean a wet surface.
In addition, ventilation is required to keep the air fresh and it is advisable to place the stay out of the bright sun and as vibration-free as possible.
Behaviour
Hunting method: Strangulation snake.
Lifestyle: dusk and night active

Character
They like to hide in the forest cover between fallen branches, leaves and stems. Snakes caught in the wild can be very shy and hide when disturbed. They will usually try to get away but may bite if fixed or not held properly. Today, virtually all Honduras milk snakes that are kept come from many generations of offspring of animals kept in captivity and this has resulted in active, curious and quiet snakes. This species is most active at dusk and in the evening.
Points of attention
the honduras can be defensive, especially in the enclosure. Pay attention to this when handling your hose to avoid unnecessary injury. Regular handling will eventually tame and calm the snake.

Costs and Purchase
Legislation: No documentation is needed to keep a Honduras milk snake.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for the accommodation, lighting, heating, water bowl and decoration. All together this can cost a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs for the feed, which is several tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs have been incurred when your snake happens to get sick or your equipment breaks down.