In the presence of a king snake a rattler will neither strike nor rattle, but will lay with head low and raise center part of its body in a loop, with which it will strike heavy blows to the king snake. Pictures and information about this snake and its habitat have been put on three pages: Brown and cream adult, Santa Clara County ©, Black and cream adult, San Diego County mountains, Adult, desert phase, Riverside County desert ©, Dark brown and pale yellow adult, Yuba County, Dark brown and cream juvenile, western Riverside County, Dark brown and pale yellow adult, Alameda County, Black and white desert phase adult, San Diego County desert, A brown and cream banded morph adult from the, A slightly faded Brown and Cream banded morph from the, Black and cream adult, El Dorado County ©, Black and cream adult, Santa Cruz County ©, Adult from the Los Angeles County coast with 40 bands  ©, Pale brown and yellow banded morph adult, Orange County. The lifespan is from 20 to 30 years, depending on the species. This species is found on only one island, Isla Todos Santos, off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. A very large banded kingsnake crawls off a road and up onto a rock face in a Kern County desert canyon at night. Common name: California Kingsnake. These snakes can also be found in Baja California and North Western Mexico. Kingsnakes are active hunters, seeking out prey, not ambush hunters like rattlesnakes. A kingsnake crawls very quickly across the Colorado desert at night in San Diego County. Almost all reptiles, including kingsnakes, are cold-blooded. California Mountain […] Controlling rodents and venomous snakes. Or, California Kingsnakes seldom exceed 48 inches. cross-reference > Facts About California Kingsnake. They range in size from 36 to 213 centimeters (14 to 84 inches), depending on the species. Hatchlings rage in size from 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches). © Sean Kelly. The striped and banded phases often occur within offspring of same clutch of eggs. They are completely independent from the moment it breaks out of the shell. Eats a wide variety of prey, including rodents and other small mammals, lizards, lizard eggs, snakes (including rattlesnakes), snake eggs, turtle eggs and hatchlings, frogs, salamanders, birds, bird eggs and chicks, and large invertebrates. Found in a wide variety of habitats - forest, woodland, chaparral, grassland, marshes, farmland, ranches, deserts, and even brushy suburban areas. There is a rhyme to help you tell a deadly coral snake from its nonvenomous look-alike: “Red on black, friend of Jack; Red on yellow, kill a fellow.”. A distressed San Diego County California Kingsnake vibrates its tail. California Kingsnake tracks on a dusty road in San Diego County. Dorsal pattern is highly variable but frequently consists of dark and light rings. Found at elevations from sea level to 7,100 ft. (2164 m). Oviparous, laying 6 to 12 eggs in a clutch; incubation period 66 to 83 days. After a short photo session, it crawled away, leaving this track. in the eastern Sierra Nevada. When disturbed, generally not aggressive, but sometimes. However, in areas with moderate climates, like Southern California, they may be diurnal. Most California kingsnakes have white bands, but some populations have longitudinal stripes going from their heads to their tails. Texas Snakes, Identification, Distribution, and Natural History. Kingsnakes are members of the genus Lampropeltis. A Natural History of Lampropeltis getula. Lampropeltis means “shiny shield”, a name given to them in reference to their smooth dorsal scales. Pictures and information about this snake and its habitat have been put on three pages: 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. Like other non-venomous snakes, kingsnakes are oviparous, which means that they lay eggs. They don't appear to be two males in combat because they are not wrestling each other very aggressively, but that is also possible. Often found near streams. ©. Hubbs, Brian. Eastern and southwestern Oregon, California, southwestern Nevada, southern Utah and western Arizona and into Baja, Mexico. Kingsnakes have round pupils (just like other non-venomous snakes), rounded jaw and a spoon-shaped head. Most species of kingsnakes are not endangered, though the populations of some are decreasing, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These two adult California Kingsnakes were found on a back porch at the end of April in San Diego County. Interesting Facts: Controlling rodents and venomous snakes. This striped California Kingsnake is eating a. California Kingsnakes are powerful predators capable of eating other snakes almost as large as they are. They are found throughout most of the United States, the southern parts of Ontario and Quebec, down through Central America and parts of South America.