California Kingsnake

The California kingsnake is bold and beautiful, found along the west coast of the United States and Mexico.

Adorned with contrasting bands or stripes along its body, this friendly reptile is often sold as a pet for a low price, depending on age and genetics. They are not venomous, but they will still bite if they are afraid. Instead, they constrict their prey before eating, and humans are not on the menu (even if it is a full-grown snake).

5 Amazing California Kingsnake Facts

• California kingsnakes tend to be opportunistic eaters, consuming a diet of other animals in their immediate surroundings.
• Though they look like a much more dangerous species, they are not venomous.
• A California kingsnake baby comes from an egg, and it is less than 2 feet long at birth. The baby is called a hatchling, and it takes about 65 days for the eggs to hatch.
• The average price of adopting a California kingsnake as a pet is rather low, costing using $80. Albino snakes are priced higher around $100, while a high white snake can be $200. Baby kingsnakes tend to cost more, though genetics also play a role in the price that a breeder assigns.
• A full-grown California kingsnake can be about 3.5 feet long, though there are some cases in Mexico of the snake being almost twice this size.

Where to Find California Kingsnakes

The best place to find a California snake in the North American west coast where it can be found as far south as Mexico and as far north as Oregon (United States). In the United States, it can be found in Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. If you see one in Arizona, they are easy to mistake for a desert kingsnake or the Mexican black kingsnake. Though it is not native to any other region, there have been sightings of the California kingsnake as an invasive species in Gran Canaria, a Spanish island.

With the ability to live in many types of habitats, you’ll see them everywhere from deserts to marshes, grasslands to woodlands, and even in suburban human communities. They are friendly from a distance, though their demeanor makes them a welcomed pet in many homes, even as a baby. Their medium size doesn’t need much tank space to be happy as long as it has a place to hide.

Scientific Name

The California kingsnake has the scientific name Lampropeltis californiae. The name is Greek in origin, translating to “shiny shield” of California. The name is a reference to the snake’s smooth dorsal scales that are so glossy that they feel like the texture of enamel.

This snake is of the Reptilia class in the Colubridae family.

Population & Conservation Status

The population of California kingsnakes, sometimes referred to as California mountain kingsnakes for their proclivity for climbing, isn’t known. Researchers estimate the population to be between 10,000 and 100,000 individual snakes, but pet adoptions and local spread make it difficult to determine. The IUCN has determined that this snake is of Least Concern, so no conservation efforts are being made.

Appearance & Description

California kingsnakes are fairly medium in size at just 2.5 to 3.5 feet long, though there are some cases of being much longer. In fact, in Mexico, there are some reports of these snakes reaching 78 inches (5.5 feet) long. The color of the California king snake varies with many naturally occuring wild morphs, though the pattern tends to be alternating dark and light bands. The dark bands can be black or brown while the lighter bands are typically cream or white colors. While albino morphs are a little rarer, it adds to their appeal as a pet. They may also be a morph called high white, which gives them a completely white body that is speckled with black. Depending on the location, some morphs are striped along the length of their body instead of bands, often featuring a black body that is striped with yellow.

How to identify a California kingsnake:

• 2.5 to 3.5 feet in overall size when full-grown, though may grow to be longer
• Baby California kingsnakes may just be 8-12 inches
• Alternating dark and light bands or stripes of color
• Typically features brown, white, black, cream, or similar colors on bands
• Sometimes albino or “high white” morphs

How Dangerous Are They?

Even though the California kingsnake bears a striking similarity to a much more dangerous snake, it is quite harmless. Getting bitten by a California snake can be painful, but the bite won’t actually put the body at risk. If you are bitten by a California kingsnake, you’ll need to see a doctor to make sure the bite doesn’t get infected if it manages to break the skin.

California Kingsnake Behavior and Humans

With activity during the day or night, the California king snake is rather friendly, making it a great companion as a pet. They need to have consistent care with ambient temperatures to keep them happy, and they’ll even warn you that they don’t want to be disturbed by shaking their tail. They may also release fecal matter and an odor if shaking their tail is not enough to get you to leave them alone.

With many different morphs, they are often bred for specific colorations. Though they can’t be sold if they are wild, albino and high white California kingsnakes are some of the most exclusive and expensive morphs to keep as pets.

Similar Animals

• Boiga
• Racer 
• Scarlet kingsnake
• Indigo snake