Get an Pueblan, some questions

[SkyChimp]

Hi, new guy here.

I've been wanting a milksnake for years. I've currently have a corn. And I've caught, kept, and ultimately released dozens of other snakes native to my state of Virginia. But I've never caught or kept a milksnake.

A local (boa) breeder I know happens to have a young Pueblan in his collection that is about 6 months old. She's absolutely beautiful and I believe she will be coming home with me next month. I've visited her weekly for over a month now. I've been putting together a viv and want to have it completely set up and working before I bring her home. I'll be keeping her in a 20 gallon long Critter Cage. It's equipped with a UTH, overhead light with black light bulb, humidity gauge, and four thermometers (for ambient temps at each end of the viv, under the substrate above the UTH, and the substrate surface).

Now, some questions:

1) What's the best substrate? I know milks are somewhat more fossorial than other colubrids. I use cypress with my corn. Since Pueblans come from high desert environments, what are some good alternative substrates?

2) This particular milksnake is a little calmer than other milks I've held, but still flighty. I feed my corn in a separate rubbermaid, and she does fine. Are milks usually fed in their vivs? This particular milk is currently housed in a small rubbermaid and the current substrate is sani-chips. I know the current owner feeds her in her enclosure. Should I continue this, or should I feed her in a separate container? Maybe I should do the first few feedings in the viv until she's aclimated, then move to a separate container? Thoughts?

3) Viv furnishings? How many hides should I have? Branches? Any thoughts would be helpful.

Thanks.

 

[SkyChimp]

Sorry, my title's messed up. Should say "Getting a Pueblan..."

 

[cka]

You can keep your pueblan the exact same way you are keeping your corn, in respect to temps, substrate, feeding in another enclosure etc. They are very tolerant and a great first milk snake. I'd feed slightly smaller prey items; a milk's mouth doesn't stretch as much as a corn :*) I've kept Andean milks and they would eat in or out of their enclosures; they had a great feeding response and while flighty at first they settled real quick and were great to work with.

Newpaper, aspen or coconut husk would be a few alternate substrates, and if you put a branch in there it'd probably climb it once or twice

 

[chimpkin]

I have tried a few different substrates with my pueblan and he likes the aspen shavings the best. Everyday he has the substrate arranged in a diffferent way. He will bury himself and dig tunnels through it. He seems more active than with the other substrates i've tried. I like it cause it absorbs well and is easy to spot clean.

I think your feeding question is a matter of preference. I prefer to feed my snakes in seperate containers because I clean their cages while they are in their tubs eating. I definetly recommend feeding in a seperate container if you use sand or other substrates that are small bits. If you do feed in the enclosure, make sure the mouse is good and dry. A wet mouse will pick up pieces of substrate.