Stats

Lifespan: 10-20 yrs
Size: Small
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Crepuscular
Social: Solitary
Biome: Desert
Range: North America
Movement: Slithering
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Uncommon

About

A non-venomous colubrid celebrated for its bold black-and-cream banding and its striking immunity to rattlesnake venom, which allows it to actively prey on pit vipers and earned it the 'king' epithet. Found across California, Nevada, Arizona, and Baja California, it is also one of the most widely kept pet snakes in the world.

Life cycle

1.
hatchling
A miniature snake emerges from the egg or from its mother (live-bearers), already venomous or strong-coiled in some species.
2.
juvenile
A juvenile sheds its skin, grows quickly, and hunts smaller prey than the adults.
3.
adult
Fully grown at adult length and pattern.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Lampropeltis
Species: Lampropeltis californiae