Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis (Honduras milk snake)

Origin: Northeast Costa Rica
Length: 130 to 160 cm
Lifespan: 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. Melanin levels increase as the snakes mature. Sometimes they are almost black with a faint pattern.

Care
Experience: Intermediate 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 exceptionally well on small mammals such as mice and young rats or mice.
Feeding adults: every 14 days
Feeding juveniles: Every 7 days
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: 3 times a week
Diet
There is the choice of offering the prey animals live or dead. It is recommended to offer dead food. This is more practical and prevents the prey animal from injuring your snake. Additionally, it is advised to offer the prey animal using feeding 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 during feeding. If you do opt for live food, you must supervise during feeding. The prey animal can also injure the snake. Feed the snakes separately, because when two snakes grab the same prey, they can injure each other and sometimes even eat each other. The ideal prey animal is approximately as wide as the widest part of the snake. Water
The water bowl in the enclosure must be large enough for the snake to lie in it completely. This will help maintain the humidity level in the bowl; the ideal humidity is between 50% and 70%.

Cleaning
To keep your snake healthy, a hygienic living environment is important. To achieve this, the enclosure must be cleaned regularly. Cleaning once a week is sufficient. Additionally, to prevent the buildup of bacteria, the entire enclosure must be cleaned and disinfected a few times a year.

Handling
To accustom the snake to contact with humans, it is advisable to pick up and handle the animal from time to time. However, regarding how to handle a snake, ensure you support the animal at the base of the body and halfway along the ends. Never squeeze your snake while handling it, as their vertebrae are fragile and can break easily. Also, ensure your hands are washed and do not smell of food. Finally: do not handle your snake when it is shedding and do not handle the animal if it has just eaten. Young snakes or snakes that have not been handled before may be defensive and may attack. The snake is not venomous, but it is better to avoid bite wounds. After being handled several times, the snake will naturally get used to it and become less defensive.

Housing
Minimum enclosure size for 1 snake: 100 x 50 x 50
Lying surface area: 0.5 m² and 1 raised platform per snake where the snake can lie with its entire body.

Daytime temperature on the warm side: 30-32°C
Daytime temperature on the cooler side: 24-28°C
Nighttime temperature: 22-24°C
Hours of light: 12 hours
Humidity: 40%-60%
Substrate: Bark or beech chips
Setup
These are true ground dwellers and naturally live among fallen leaves and branches in the rainforest floor. 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. Provide a substrate in which they can burrow, such as aspen bedding or coconut-based soil, like coconut fiber or peat. The average humidity should be around 40 to 60%. High humidity does not mean a wet substrate.

Additionally, ventilation is necessary to keep the air fresh, and it is advisable to place the enclosure out of direct sunlight and as vibration-free as possible.

Behavior
Hunting method: Constrictor.
Lifestyle: Crepuscular and nocturnal active
Character
They like to hide among the forest floor, among fallen branches, leaves, and stems. Snakes caught in the wild can be very shy and will hide if disturbed. They will usually try to get away but may bite if restrained or not held properly. Nowadays, virtually all Honduran milk snakes kept come from many generations of descendants of animals kept in captivity, and this has resulted in active, curious, and calm snakes. This species is most active during twilight and the evening.
Points of attention
The Honduran can be defensive, especially in its enclosure. Be mindful of this when handling your snake to prevent unnecessary injuries. Regular handling will eventually ensure that the snake becomes tamer and calmer.
Costs and Purchase
Legislation: No documentation is required to keep a Honduran milk snake. One-off costs: These include the costs for the enclosure, lighting, heating, water bowl, and decoration. Altogether, this can cost anywhere from 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 cost of food, which is a few tens of euros per year.

Unexpected costs: Costs are incurred if your snake happens to get sick or your equipment breaks down.