Common Kingsnake - Lampropeltis getula
[Back to Snake Care Sheets]
Common
Kingsnake - Lampropeltis getula
[Back to Snake
Care Sheets]
General Information
Distribution — Many different subspecies found throughout the United States and into Mexico.
Habitat — Kingsnakes occur in a wide variety of habitats including: wood lots, prairies, fields, oak scrub lands, and semi-arid regions.
Adult Size — The Common Kingsnake is a medium sized snake with a very slender build. Hatchlings are typically between 23 and 36 cm, while adults range in length from 76 cm - 183 cm (2.5-6 feet).
Temperament — Young Kingsnakes - like most small snakes - are highly sensitive to potential threats. They will typically rattle their tails and strike defensively when they feel threatened; however, with very little effort they quickly become accustomed to being handled. Most adults rarely bite and are easy to handle.
Longevity — This species lives to be between 10 and 15 years old in captivity.
Captive Care
Rating: 1 — Due to this animals good nature, feeding habits, adult size, and availability as domestically bred stock it is an excellent starter snake.
Diet: Hatchlings and juveniles - pink/ fuzzy mice, hopper mice, and pink/fuzzy rats every 4-7 days; Adults - large rodents such as rats every 9-14 days.
Temperature: 25o to 30 o C (75o-85oF)
Space: An adult King Snake can be housed a 35 gallon terrarium; however, young snakes are better off housed in smaller 10 to 15 gallon terraria until they reach a 60 - 70 cm in length.
Breeding: Kingsnakes typically reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age and can produce two clutches per year in a captive environment. Mating season is between the months of March and June. Typically the eggs take between 47-84 days to incubate with the average being 60 days at a temperature of 28oC (82oF). Note: A winter cooling period is a must if you intend to breed these animals.
Special Requirements: Kingsnakes naturally feed on other snakes; therefore, these animals must be housed individually. These snakes are docile, eat readily, and are long lived which makes them hardy animals ideally suited for beginners.; however, hatchlings should be left for one to two months without any handling to make sure they get on a good feeding schedule. Most people make the mistake of handling their animal too soon and they end up with a very stressed snake that refuses to eat. For the first few months, the contact you should have with your snake should be for feeding, cleaning, and changing water only.
Sources (Suggested Reading):
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1991. Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern/Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Pp. 450.
Mattison, Chris. 1995. Keeping and Breeding Snakes. Cassell Publishing, London, UK. Pp. 184.
Perlowin, David. 1992. The General Care and Maintenance of Common Kingsnakes. Advanced Terrarium Systems, Lakeside, California. Pp. 71.
Rossi, John V. 1992. Snakes of the United Sates and Canada, Vol. 1: Eastern Area. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. Pp. 209.
Rossi, John V. 1992. Snakes of the United Sates and Canada, Vol. 2: Western Area. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. Pp. 325.
Wright, Albert Hazen and Anna Allen Wright, 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada, Vol. I. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, New York. Pp. 564.