Video of Kingsnake
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Range
Throughout the Sonoran, Mojave and Chihuahuan Deserts south into Baja California and Mexico.
Habitat
The Common Kingsnake is a habitat generalist and is found in a wide variety of habitats including coniferous forest, woodlands, marshes, grassland and chaparral or desert environments. It is frequently found near rocky outcrops and clumps of vegetation, as well as under rocks, logs and debris from sea level to 7,000 feet (2,130 meters).
Description
The common Kingsnake is a nonvenomous member of the “harmless” Colubrid family which also includes such common snakes as Garter snakes, Gopher snakes, and Whip snakes. Adults may measure 30-85 inches in length, although 3 to 4 feet is the size more commonly seen. Common Kingsnakes vary greatly in color and pattern.
There are numerous subspecies of the Common Kingsnake. In the California Kingsnake (L. g. californiae), the most typical pattern is black or brown bands alternating with white or cream bands which do not go all the way around the body. The California Kingsnake may, however, be found with stripes of yellow or white on a brown or black background, partially striped and partially banded with the pattern depending upon where the snake was found, and many so-called aberrants which fit into no particular pattern class.
The Western Black Kingsnake (L. g. nigrita), found in Southern Arizona as well as the state of Sonora, Mexico, is all dark brown or slaty black with no crossbands or stripes but otherwise very similar to the California Kingsnake. It may sometimes have light centers to the lateral black scales. Another subspecies is the Desert Kingsnake (L. g. splendida), which is found from southeastern Arizona eastward and southward, mostly in the Chihuahuan Desert. The Desert Kingsnake has a dark belly and appears to be spotted although some specimens may have poorly defined crossbands.
The Common Kingsnakes should not be confused with the several Mountain Kingsnakes which do not enter the deserts. Mountain Kings are generally crossbanded white or yellow, black and red with the bands not going all around the body. There are several species such as the California Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata ssp.) and the Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana ssp). The Mexican Kingsnake (Lampropeltis mexicana) is found in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico.
Habits
The Kingsnake derives its name from its habit of eating other snakes. It is most famous for eating rattlesnakes and copperheads and for being immune to viper venom. The Kingsnake is actually a diet generalist and will eat, small rodents, snakes, lizards, birds and their eggs and even turtles and frogs. It is usually active in the morning and late afternoon but in extremely hot conditions will be found abroad at night. The Kingsnake locates and identifies its prey at night by using its sense of smell. If the prey item is a rattlesnake, the Kingsnake, being a constrictor, will bite the snake and immediately throw several coils around it and constrict it until it is disabled and exhausted and it will then be eaten, whether still alive or dead.
Although considered a gentle snake, when a Kinsnake is threatened, it may hiss, strike and vibrate the tail as do many harmless Colubrid snakes. When attacked, or picked up by a human, Kingsnakes will roll up into a ball with the head in the center and smear the offender with musk, a strong smelling substance, and feces.
Life Cycle
Kingsnakes generally mate from March through June. The female lays a clutch of from 4-20 eggs between May and August. Incubation is about 60 days but varies from 47 to 81 days. Hatchlings are about 8 to 13 inches in length and reach sexual maturity in about 4 years. After the female lays her eggs, she will leave them and show no more interest nor any maternal feelings toward the young.
Common Kingsnake
