Normal

Milk Snakes commonly exceed 60 cm (24 in) in total length (including tail), with very large specimens known to reach total lengths of 120 to 132 cm (47 to 52 in). They appear to be one of the smaller species of the kingsnake genus, as adults in the wild apparently average from 38 to 225 g (1.3 to 7.9 oz) in North America and most typically do not exceed a total length of 90 cm (35 in). However, unusually large milk snakes can become rather bulkier than average-sized adults and potentially weigh up to 750 to 1,400 g (1.65 to 3.09 lb), though high weights as such are generally reported from captivity.

Milk snakes have a wider geographic range than most snakes and have the biggest range of any snake in North America. According to Western Connecticut State University, they can be found as far north as Ontario and Quebec and as far south as Venezuela. They live throughout Mexico and Central America. In the United States, they can be found almost everywhere but the West Coast.

Given their broad range, milk snakes must be able to thrive in a variety of habitats. They most commonly like forested places but are also happy in fields, rocky outcroppings, agricultural areas and barns, according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. They like to spend much of the day under rocks, boards or hidden in dark places of barns. Contrary to their namesake folktale, milk snakes do not frequent barns to “milk” the cows; instead, they seek out the rodents living there.