Carmel
California King Snake
Lampropeltis getula californiae
Life expectancy: Up to 33 years in captivity
Habitat: Throughout most of California and neighboring states in fields, grasslands, marshes, forests, deserts, woodlands and even suburban areas
Characteristics: Carnivore, Constrictor
Fun Facts About The California King Snake
- California King Snakes vary in both color and pattern from one snake to another. They can be any shade of black or brown highlighted by any shade of yellow or white. No two are exactly alike.
- King Snakes eat pretty much any small animal or bird that they can swallow whole. They are excellent hunters who kill their prey by coiling around it and squeezing it.
- King Snakes are known to eat other snakes - including venomous snakes and ones larger than themselves. That is how they got their name as the "KING" of snakes.
- King Snakes are beneficial to humans because they help keep the rodent, frog, and rattlesnake population down in areas where they live and hunt.
- California King Snakes don't care for extreme weather. They are usually solitary, except for when they hibernate together in cold weather. And they are diurnal - active during the day - except when it gets too hot and they temporarily become nocturnal.
