The California Kingsnake is a species of non-venomous snake that is native to the Western parts of the United States, as well as parts of Northern Mexico.
It is a medium sized colubrid snake that typically grows to around 3 or 4 feet in length. They are also a slim bodied species.
Due to their easy-care requirements, docile nature, relatively small size and vast array of colors, these snakes are extremely common in the pet industry.
California Kingsnake Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The California Kingsnake belongs to the Colubridae or Colubrid family of snakes. This is the largest family of Snakes in the world consisting of many popular species such as Pine Snakes and Milk Snakes.
With around 250 different genera of Colubrids, these snakes can be found on every continent except Antarctica which also makes them the most widely distributed family of snake in the world.
The vast majority of Colubrid snakes are non-venomous, or at least contain a venom that isn’t considered to be medically significant to humans.
However, there are a number of species of Colubrid snakes that contain venom capable of killing humans. This includes species from the Boiga and Rhabdophis genera as well as other snakes such as the Boomslang.
Genus
The California Kingsnake belongs to the Lampropeltis genus. This genus contains the New World Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes. Its scientific name is Lampropeltis californiae. It belongs to the same genus as the Grey Banded Kingsnake.
The Kingsnake gets its name from the fact that they often eat other snakes, including Rattlesnakes. Similarly, the King Cobra gets its name from its tendency to also eat other snakes.
The scientific name ‘Lampropeltis’ comes from the Greek words ‘lampro’ and ‘pelte’ which loosely translates to ‘shiny shield’. This is a reference to these snakes smooth, enamel-like dorsal scales.
Species
The scientific name for the California Kingsnake is Lampropeltis californiae and there are currently no recognised subspecies.
This species was once considered a sub-species of the common Kingsnake along with other sub-species such as the Mexican Black Kingsnake and the Eastern Kingsnake.
At this time, it had the scientific name Lampropeltis getula californiae, until it was elevated to full species level.
California Kingsnake Description
The California Kingsnake is a medium sized snake that typically grows to around 3 or 4 foot in length. However, some individuals can reach five or six feet in length.
A large six-foot California Kingsnake isn’t common and would be considered a relatively rare exception. These snakes also have a slender build.
The coloration and patterning of these snakes can vary greatly but typically consists of dark and light bands that run the length of the snake.
The dark bands are typically black or brown in color while the light bands are usually white or cream in color.
The thickness of the bands is also highly variable. Some specimens may have very thick uniform bands while others will have very thin bands.
Other individuals may have a thick dark band while the lighter-colored band is relatively narrow in comparison or vice versa.
All these different color and pattern variations make the snake highly sought after in the reptile hobby as they can be so variable.
The head of the snake is relatively small and is not overly distinguishable from the neck. The top of their head is usually the darker color while the area around the mouth and nose is typically the lighter color.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The California Kingsnake can be found throughout much of the Western United States and parts of Western Mexico, in the Baja California region.
They can be found as far North as parts of Oregon while their range extends along the Baja California peninsula in the South of their range.
They do not venture too far inland across the United States but they can be found in states such as Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
As their name suggests, they can be found throughout much of California and they are very common in many parts of the state.
The California Kingsnake is also after establishing itself on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria in the Atlantic Ocean where it is considered an invasive species. This island is around 5000 miles outside the snake’s natural range.
These snakes thrive in a range of different habitats and adapt well to different living conditions. This is partially why they have a large range and also helps with their popularity as pets.
The California Kingsnake lives in habitats such as grasslands, woodlands, marshes, deserts and on the foothills of mountains. They have also adapted to thrive in urban areas.
They share some of the same geographical range with species such as the Desert Kingsnake, Arizona Mountain Kingsnake, Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, California Mountain Kingsnake and the Prairie Rattlesnake. However, they don’t necessarily share the same habitats with these species.
California Kingsnake Behaviour
The California Kingsnake is a highly adaptable snake. They are known to adjust elements of their behaviour to adapt to the conditions and surroundings around them.
For example, during cooler weather these snakes are typically active during the day. However, during the very hot summer months, they will typically retreat to a cool hiding place to avoid the heat.
During these hot months, the California Kingsnake is typically more active during the hours around dusk and dawn. They may also come out at night in search of food.
Like many of the other North American colubrids, these snakes will ‘rattle’ their tail against the floor if they feel threatened. This is a technique to confuse and scare away a potential threat.
California Kingsnake Diet
In the wild, the California Kingsnake will feed on a wide variety of different prey. They are called Kingsnakes because they like to feed on other snakes. This is also where the King Cobra’s name came from.
Besides other snakes, this snake will feed on a variety of small mammals, birds, lizards, frogs, salamanders and large invertebrates. They will even eat snake and lizard eggs.
The California Kingsnake is known to feed on Rattlesnakes. It is widely believed that these snakes are immune to rattlesnake venom but many researchers believe that these snakes have a tolerance to the venom as opposed to immunity.
In captivity, you can feed your California Kingsnake a diet consisting exclusively of frozen thawed mice or rats. The size of the prey item should be no larger than the girth of the snake at the snake’s largest point.
If you want to add variety into your snake’s diet, you can offer them the occasional feeder Anole or baby chicks. If you have access to fresh quail eggs in your area, these could also be offered on occasion.
You should feed hatchlings every 5-7 days while adults can be fed less frequently, unless you are bringing them back up to weight after breeding. Generally, adults can be fed an appropriately sized meal every 7-10 days.
Like many species of snake, the California Kingsnake can go off their food during the colder months. This is completely normal. Simply continue to offer them a meal every two weeks or so until they start eating again.
Predators
While the California Kingsnake will prey on a wide variety of animals, they are by no mean on the top of the food chain. These snakes are preyed on by a variety of different animals and younger snakes are particularly susceptible.
They are often a target for birds of prey such as hawks, owls and eagles. They are also considered prey for other animals such as coyotes, opossums, skunks and other predators.
California Kingsnake Enclosure
A hatchling California Kingsnake can be housed in a small shoebox sized plastic container until they put on a bit of size. At this time, they are very small and most commercially available enclosures aren’t suitable for them.
An adult can be comfortably housed in an enclosure measuring 3ft x 2ft x 2ft. This will give your snake all the space they need to live a comfortable life. You can always offer the snake a larger enclosure if you can, this is entirely up to you.
Juveniles can be housed in a smaller version of an adult’s enclosure once they outgrow their hatchling tub. A setup measuring 2ft x 1ft x 1ft works well for juveniles.
You will need to ensure the enclosure has at least two hiding places so the snake can feel secure. One of these should be placed at the warm end, while the other should be placed at the cool end.
A clean water bowl must be present at all times. You should also include climbing branches logs and fake plants to offer enrichment for your snake.
It is not recommended to house multiple California Kingsnakes in the same enclosure. In the wild, these snakes will feed on other snakes so cannibalism is a real possibility.
This isn’t always the case and people have had success housing communally, it simply isn’t worth the risk. You should only keep these snakes together while breeding.
Temperature and Lighting
The California Kingsnake likes a heat source of around 85F. The ambient temperature in the enclosure can drop to around 75F. At night, the ambient temperature can safely drop a few degrees, providing it is brought back up again the following morning.
There are several different ways that you can heat a California Kingsnake enclosure. The two most commonly used methods involve using an under-tank heat mat or a heat/ceramic bulb.
A heat mat can be placed under the tank to provide belly heat for your snake. This mat should cover about one third of the floor space of the enclosure. This will allow for a thermal gradient as the snake moves away from the source of the heat.
Heat mats can get excessively hot. Therefore, it is necessary to connect them to an on/off thermostat. These thermostats work by turning off the heat mat when it exceeds the desired temperature. It will turn back on then when the temperature falls below the desired temperature.
If you have a deep layer of substrate, a heat mat will not pass enough heat through to your snake. In this case, you will need to use overhead heat. This will come in the form of a heat lamp or ceramic heat emitter.
Overhead heat works by raising the temperature of the air in the enclosure. As you move away from the source of the heat, the temperature will decrease. This will provide a thermal gradient for your snake.
Bulbs should always be connected to a pulse proportional thermostat. This is a different kind of stat that adjusts the amount of current supplied to the bulb. If it is too hot, less current will be supplied, reducing the temperature of the bulb and vice versa.
Humidity
The California Kingsnake doesn’t need excessively high humidity and will do well when its kept around 40-60%. Depending on where you live, you might not need to do anything other than provide a large water bowl to achieve this level of humidity.
If the humidity is extremely low where you live, a light misting of the substrate may be required to help increase it. You can buy a cheap hydrometer in any pet store which will give you a good indication of the humidity levels in the enclosure.
If you live in a very humid region, you may need to place a dehumidifier near the enclosure. These are designed to suck the humidity out of the air and lower the overall humidity in the room.
You can lightly spray the snake’s substrate when they are in shed. A humidity spike at this time can help loosen the shed and make it easier for the snake to remove its old skin.
