Lampropeltis means "shiny shields" and the majority of king snakes have quite vibrant patterns on their skin. King snakes are constrictors and tend to be opportunistic when it comes to their diet; they will eat other snakes (ophiophagy), lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs. They are highly resistant to the venom of other snakes; in California, king snakes are known to eat rattlesnakes. The "king" in their name (as with the King cobra) is a reference to their taste for other snakes. Ophiophagy (snake eating) is a specialized form of feeding or alimentary behavior of animals which hunt and eat snakes. ... State nickname: The Golden State Official languages English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) Barbara Boxer (D) Area - Total - % water Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 4. ... Species about 30 Rattlesnakes is a group of venomous New World snakes, genera Crotalus and Sistrurus, which have a small noise-making jointed rattle on their tails. ...
Species in this genus include the following. In many cases there are numerous subspecies:
Grey-Banded Kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna)
Prairie Kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster
Common Kingsnake Lampropeltis getula
Black Mexican Kingsnake Lampropeltis getula nigrita
The desert kingsnake is a dark brown to fl snake with the sides of the snake heavily spotted with yellow that outlines fl saddles that run along the back of the snake for the entire length of the snake.
The ground colour of the californian kingsnake is either fl or brown with stripes, bands or a mixture of stripes and bands.
Californian kingsnakes are immune to the venom of venomous snakes and wild specimens often feed on such snakes.
Kings can be found in arid deserts, swamplands, farmlands, grasslands, pine and deciduous forests, up to 8,500 feet in the Rockies and to 10,000 in the Andes, and in riparian habitats.
As most people cannot tell the difference and many believe that all snakes are uniformly dangerous, wild kings and milks are often met with the business end of a shovel rather than the respect they deserve for their efforts in keeping the rodent populations in check.
When your snake first defecates, collect the feces in a clean plastic bag, seal it, label it with the date, your name and phone number and the snake's name, and take it and your snake to a vet who is experienced with reptiles and have the sample tested for worms.
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