The Sinaloan milk snake is easily recognised by its bright red colouring and black head marked with a pale cream band. Its pattern closely resembles that of the venomous coral snake, helping it deter predators such as birds of prey.
Like other milk snakes, the Sinaloan milk snake is nocturnal. After nightfall, it hunts rodents, birds, reptiles and other small vertebrates. It also feeds on eggs and is generally less picky than many other snake species. During the day, milk snakes rest on rocks or under loose stones.
In the wild, milk snakes — like many other snakes — can go for long periods without food. At Odense ZOO, we therefore feed our milk snakes only every second or third week.
You can see the milk snake in Darwin’s House when it is open to visitors.