About California King Snake

    About California King Snake

About California King Snake
By Alex Bramwell, eHow Contributor

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California king snakes have black bodies and white stripes.

Found across the Western and Southwestern United States, the California king snake (Lampropeltis getula californiae) is one of 80 recognized subspecies of the king snake. The subspecies has a number of different color morphs. California kings are popular and harmless pets. Hybrids with other king snake subspecies and closely related snakes such as the corn snake (Elaphe guttata) are available

Description

    At a maximum length of 48 inches and 5 inches in girth California kings are smaller than other king snake species. The head is small and barely wider than the body and the scales are shiny and smooth. The typical coloration is white bands over a black or dark brown background, but there are unbanded races with a single vertical line running from head to tail and others with lateral stripes. Desert king snakes tend to be brown with yellower stripes while coastal animals have the highest contrast black and white bands. The pet trade has albino varieties, but albino snakes are rarely found in the wild.

Range

    While common in California, California king snakes are also found as far north as Oregon and as far west as southwestern Colorado. The subspecies also occurs in northern New Mexico and in Arizona, where it hybridizes with other subspecies of king snake. The California king snake is also found in northern Mexico and Baja California.