This California King Snake care sheet should be used for guidance only. If you have decided to keep a pet snake please gather as much information as possible from other reliable sources about the species you intend to keep.
California King Snake
Lampropeltis getulus californiae
DESCRIPTION
California
King Snakes are smooth, solid bodied constrictors from the south west
United States, where they can be found in scrubland and rocky hillsides
preying on rodents, reptiles and birds.
Wild California Kings are usually banded in black and white or brown and yellow depending on locality but are available in a variety of colour and pattern morphs in the pet trade.
California King Snakes are a diurnal egg laying species that can reach a length of up to 6 feet although around 4 feet is more likely.
These King Snakes are ophiophagus, meaning they are known to eat other snakes as part of their diet, including Rattlesnakes (for which they have a natural resistance to venom) and their own kind. For this reason they are best housed seperately.
This snake has been known to intergrade with other subspecies of King Snake in parts of its range, including the Mexican Black King Snake and the Desert King Snake.
California King Snakes are currently one of the more commonly kept and bred pet snakes due to their beautiful markings and colours, placid temperament, general ease of care and manageable size.
HOUSING
36" by 15" of floor space is the minimum required to house the California King Snake. Height is not as important as floor space for this largely terrestrial snake but should be at least 10". They can be housed in a variety of enclosure types including wooden cabinet style vivariums, aquariums or suitably sized and well ventilated plastic storage boxes. Security is of high importance and the enclosure must be free of gaps or pushable lids to prevent escape. As said earlier King Snakes should be housed seperately to prevent cannibalism.
SUBSTRATE AND FURNISHINGS
The substrate you choose for the floor of your California King Snakes' enclosure will be dependant on your preference for the type of display that you would like. If you want something that is simple, hygienic and easy to clean or replace when soiled, a few layers of paper towels or newspapers can be used. When using paper as substrate i like to use 2 layers of newspaper with 2 layers of absorbent paper towels underneath. When the newspaper gets wet the paper towels help to absorb the moisture underneath quickly so that the surface area remains as dry as possible until changed. If using newspaper make sure it i laid flat to prevent your snake from burrowing underneath and defecating on the vivarium floor. For a more natural, soft and absorbent substrate i recommend an inch deep layer of aspen bedding.
The most important addition to the floor of your King Snakes' enclosure is the water bowl. This should be sturdy and fairly shallow and wide enough for your snake to completely immerse itself in, which it may do occasionally when preparing to shed its skin or simply to cool down. The water bowl should be placed in the coolest area of the vivarium.
Another
important addition to the floor of your King Snakes' enclosure is
somewhere to hide. Reptile hides can be bought from retailers that sell
reptile supplies or homemade from small plastic boxes such as margarine
tubs with a hole cut in the side. These are very easily cleaned.
Cardboard boxes can also be used and can simply be replaced when soiled.
If you are after something more natural you could use cork bark
(more difficult to clean effectively) or a formation of small rocks.
Rocks will need to be well secured in place with aquarium sealant to
prevent them from falling and injuring your snake.
To
make the display of your California King Snake enclosure more naturally
attractive, small lightweight rocks and pieces of bark can be added
along with plastic plants. As well as making your snakes enclosure more
pleasing to the eye this will provide your snake with areas of cover and
places to explore.
HEATING AND LIGHTING
Lighting is not strictly necessary if you keep your California King Snake in a sunlit room but a flourescant tube can be used if you wish to illuminate your King Snake enclosure during they day.
For heating there are several choices including heat mats, ceramic emitters, light bulbs and spotlights. My personal preference is for under tank heat mats which warm the substrate gently from below and although more expensive than a bulb they will last for years.
A thermostatically controlled heat mat should be placed under 1/2 of your California King Snakes' enclosure to warm the substrate to a temperature of 28-30c, leaving the other half of the vivarium just above room temperature, preferably in the 20-25c range. This will allow your King Snake to thermoregulate by moving between hotter and colder areas when desired to maintain its optimum temperature for rest, activity or feeding. Snakes are often referred too as cold blooded animals which isn't strictly true as their temperature is dependent on their surroundings, so on very hot days snakes will actually feel warm to the touch if they haven't found a place to cool down. Vivarium temperatures can be allowed to drop to the low to mid 20's at night although this is not strictly necessary if you have provided your King Snake with a good temperature gradient with at least 5 degrees centigrade difference between the hot and cool areas of the vivarium.
An incandesant light bulb (covered by a bulb guard) can be fixed to the vivarium ceiling above the heat mat if extra heat is needed. Low wattage bulbs can give off a surprising amount of heat in a confined space so be sure to keep regular checks on temperature with a thermometer. When measuring basking temperatures be sure to measure the temperature at ground level.
HUMIDITY
55%
humidity is perfect but 10 % either way won't hurt. When your California
King Snake is preparing to shed its skin it will help to raise the
humidity a little by lightly spraying the enclosure with water once or
twice a day (being careful not to make the substrate damp) or placing
the water bowl temporarily in the warm end of the enclosure. Another
option is to make a humid hide out of a margarine or ice cream tub (with
lid) with a hole cut in the side for access and part filled with damp
paper towels. The humid hide should be placed in a warm area.
FEEDING
1 or 2 adult mice a week should be adequate to keep your California King Snake strong and healthy.
Juvenile Kings should be fed 2 pinkie (newborn) mice a week, working through fluffs(aka.fuzzies) to adults as they grow.
Mice can be fed with tongs or placed on the enclosure floor for your snake to find.
California King Snakes are voracious feeders and although they are not prone to biting, the majority of bites that do occur are as a result of a feeding response. It should be noted that when biting King Snakes have a habit of holding on but can easily be encouraged to let go with a quick facial spray of diluted alcohol. A bite from a California King Snake will cause little pain or damage to your skin.
HANDLING
Young California King Snakes may bite, wriggle, vibrate their tails or defecate on you when first handled but calm down with regular handling and usually grow in to placid an very handleable snakes.
Faeces should be removed from your California King Snakes' enclosure when seen.
Water dishes should be emptied, rinsed and refilled with clean water every 2 or 3 days. They should also be disinfected if the water becomes soiled.
The whole vivarium should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected once a month with a reptile-safe disinfectant such as BeaClean. Alternatively a 4% thin bleach and 96% water solution works well but must be rinsed very thoroughly after use. All furnishings (water dish, hides etc.) should also be disinfected at this time.
To disinfect wood or rocks they can first be scrubbed clean with soapy water and rinsed then covered in tin foil and heated in an oven. 100c for 20 minutes should be enough. Allow time to cool (at least 10mins) before placing back in your King Snakes' enclosure.
California King Snakes are a great pet snake for the first time snake keeper and experienced keeper alike. It is hardy, average in size, has a good temperament and is comparitively easy to care for.
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