Where can you find a California kingsnake in the wild?
California kingsnakes ( Lampropeltis getula californiae) are popular and attractive colubrids that, despite their common name, are found not just in California, but also in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Baja and Mexico.
What kind of snake is a gray banded kingsnake?
The eight species include the gray-banded kingsnake ( alterna ), prairie kingsnake ( calligaster ), common kingsnake ( getula ), Mexican gray-banded kingsnake ( mexicana ), Sonoran mountain kingsnake ( pyromelana ), Ruthven’s kingsnake ( ruthveni ), California mountain kingsnake ( zonata) and milk snake ( triangulum ).
What makes the California kingsnake so popular with HERP enthusiasts?
One thing about the California kingsnake that has made it very popular with herp enthusiasts is its polymorphism, meaning it can be found in many color and pattern combinations. Many of these morphs are genetically inherited. Some are the product of selective breeding, and some naturally occur in the wild.
When do California kingsnakes come out of brumation?
I begin breeding my California kingsnakes right after the females finish their first shed after coming out of brumation (see sidebar, page 36). In the wild, male California kingsnakes track females by following their pheromone trails. Once a male smells a female’s pheromones, breeding is all he wants to do.
Where can you find banded kingsnakes in California?
A hypomelanistic Banded morph from Whitewater, Riverside County, along with a darker snake which is a more typical example of the Banded morph kingsnakes from the same area. Narrow-banded Coastal Los Angeles morph, Los Angeles County.
Which is the most common form of the California kingsnake?
Page 1, this page, shows to see pictures of the more common banded form of the California Kingsnake, plus a range map, a species description and natural history information, references, and links to more information. Page 2 illustrates naturally-occurring aberrant morph California Kingsnakes.
Where was the Lavender phase kingsnake found in California?
95 percent Blotched morph, Riverside County. This “Lavender Phase” king snake was found wild in creosote bush plains in Kern County. © Amy Patten. This strange looking snake is probably a cross between a California Kingsnake and a Pacific Gophersnake. It was found in the wild in Yolo County by Steven Hinds. Photo © 2005 Brian Hubbs
Is the California kingsnake immune to rattlesnake venom?
California kingsnakes are naturally resistant to the venom of rattlesnakes, but are not totally immune. It has been recorded that kingsnakes are known to swallow their own shed skin.
