California Kingsnake
(
Lampropeltis getula californiae )
|
California Kingsnake
Photograph by Vlad Butsky. Some rights reserved. |
California Kingsnake
Photograph by Vlad Butsky. Some rights reserved. |
California Kingsnake with longitudinal stripes
Photograph by Chris Brown. License: Public Domain. |
|
|
REPTILE FACTS
|
Description
The California Kingsnake is highly variable in color and pattern. There are banded phases with alternating bands of black or brown, and white or yellow. There are also striped phase with longitudinal stripes of black or brown, and white or yellow. Some individuals have marbled, spotted, or blotched patterns. The scales are smooth and glossy. The snout is light colored. Juveniles are similar to adults. The California Kingsnake may excrete musk, vibrate tail, and bite when handled.
Size
50-111 cm
Environment
forest, woodland, grassland, marshes, farmland, ranches, deserts, brushy suburban areas.
Food
Eats rodents and other small mammals, lizards, snakes, turtle eggs and hatchlings, frogs, salamanders, birds eggs, young birds, large invertebrates. It is a constrictor, and coils around its prey.
Breeding
King snakes are oviparous, laying small clutches of 6-8 eggs. The eggs hatch in 50 to 65 days
Range
Found in south western Oregon, southern Nevada, southern Utah, south western Colorado, north western New Mexico, Arizona, California. In Mexico is found in Sonora and Baja California peninsula.
Notes
The California Kingsnake is harmless to humans. It is a popular pet snake, and many color variations have been bred in captivity.
Reptile Supplies
For those of you who keep reptiles, check out the Discount Reptile Supplies from the Largest Pet Store In the World: That Pet Place
Classification
| Class: | Reptilia | | Order: | Squamata (Serpentes) | | Family: | Colubridae | | Genus: | Lampropeltis | | Species: | getula californiae | | Common Name: | California Kingsnake |
Relatives in same Genus
Gray-banded Kingsnake (L. alterna)
Prairie Kingsnake (L. calligaster calligaster)
Mole Kingsnake (L. calligaster rhombomaculata)
Florida Kingsnake (L. getula floridana)
Eastern Kingsnake (L. getula getula)
Speckled Kingsnake (L. getula holbrooki)
Desert Kingsnake (L. getula splendida)
Mexican Kingsnake (L. mexicana mexicana)
Mexican Milk Snake (L. triangulum annulata)
Pueblan Milk Snake (L. triangulum campbelli)
Scarlet Kingsnake (L. triangulum elapsoides)
Honduran Milk Snake (L. triangulum hondurensis)
Nelson's Milk Snake (L. triangulum nelsoni)
Sinaloan Milk Snake (L. triangulum sinaloae)
Red Milk Snake (L. triangulum syspila)
Milk Snake (L. triangulum triangulum)
San Diego Mountain Kingsnake (L. zonata pulchra)
|
|
