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Animal profile

California Kingsnake

Lampropeltis californiae

ReptiliaDesert, chaparral, grassland, woodland, farmland and suburban gardensLeast Concern

Field profile

The California kingsnake is a glossy black-and-white banded constrictor of the American southwest. It is a generalist predator that includes other snakes in its diet, rattlesnakes among them. It is resistant to rattlesnake venom and is one of the most commonly kept snakes in captivity.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2023-07-17

California Kingsnake

Kingsnakes eat rattlesnakes and shrug off the venom

Kingsnakes prey on venomous pit vipers, including rattlesnakes considerably larger than themselves. Their blood contains factors that neutralise viper venom, and their constriction is unusually strong for their body size.

Read with evidence →

California Kingsnake | Daily Animal Facts