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Search online for "exotic animal vet" and your location. It's wise to find an experienced exotic vet before you bring home your snake. That way, you can schedule an appointment as quickly as possible if it gets sick. While many snake owners don't bring their pets to the vet regularly, check-ups every 6 to 12 months are recommended for reptiles. At a minimum, you should get your snake an initial check-up soon after you bring it home. Make sure your snake appears alert and flicks its tongue in and out regularly. Check for any marks or discharges on its skin, eyes, and mouth, and try to listen to its breathing to make sure it's not wheezing. Each day, change and wash the water bowl and remove any droppings or soiled bedding. Try to clean up soiled spots promptly, as leaving droppings in the tank increases the risk of your snake getting sick. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds after handling your snake or cleaning its enclosure. Keep your snake in a second back-up tank while you clean the main enclosure. Throw out all of the old bedding, and wash the tank and hiding spots with a reptile-safe disinfectant. Rinse away the disinfectant with hot water, then add fresh bedding and put the enclosure back together. You can find reptile-safe disinfectants online and at pet stores. Avoid washing the enclosure in the kitchen sink or near any areas where you prepare food. When your snake sheds, its old skin should come off in one long, tube-shaped piece. Make sure that the eye caps have shed; take your pet to the vet if they haven't so they can be properly removed. To promote healthy shedding, keep coarse branches in the tank and make sure the humidity stays between 40% and 60%. Shedding is an important indicator of your pet's health. Young milk snakes can shed 12 or more times a year, and adults typically shed every 2 to 3 months. The shedding process takes 1 to 2 weeks. Take your snake to the vet if it has difficulty shedding or hasn't finished shedding within 2 weeks.
Find a local exotic animal vet with experience treating snakes. Check your snake for signs of illness every day. Spot clean the enclosure daily. Disinfect the tank once a month. Keep track of your snake's shedding.