An albino variety of this species, a very attractive solid white snake with yellow spots, has hit the pet market for quite some time. © www.MarkMyWordsMedia.com | All Rights Reserved. Speckled king snakes are found in Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and parts of Texas. Eyes: The eyes of the adult snakes are commonly red. Speckled kingsnakes are mostly diurnal, and are active between April and October. 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King snakes do not need any artificial lighting but I use a low level UVB bulb in most of the vivs for day time viewing. Care Sheet, Red-Footed Tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria) Care Sheet, Russian Tortoise (Testudo horsfieldi) Care Sheet. Speckled king snakes are secretive snakes and will do best if provided with some type of hiding place. Adult king snakes can be fed once every 7-10 days to maintain proper body weight. They share their location in common with the Desert, the Eastern, and the Black Kingsnakes in Texas, western Oklahoma, and southwestern Kansas, southern and northern regions of Alabama, the western parts of Tennessee and Kentucky, and also in the southern parts of Illinois. Milk and king snakes are closely related, both belonging to the genus Lamproletis, and there are several subspecies of both king snakes and milk snakes. Nighttime temperatures should range between 68-75 degrees. The patterns, especially bands and speckles, break up the snake's body outline so it is less visible to predators like birds of prey, mammals like foxes and coyotes and other snakes, according to the San Diego Zoo. Take care to watch for, avoid encounters with snakes while outside. The females would normally lay their eggs under stumps, rocks, logs, or decaying plant material. The speckled king snake is common to this area and has a … With time and careful handling this behavior will usually stop. © 2021 (Animal Spot). Eastern Kingsnakes are opportunistic hunters. Since these tend to be aggressive feeders, care should be taken at feeding time. California Kingsnakes are a hardy species. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Captive produced animals normally are calm throughout their life. Like most snakes, king snakes typically will not eat when they are preparing to shed. Sign up. Like most snakes, king snakes typically will not eat when they are preparing to shed. The "king" in the name ... Speckled kingsnake, Lampropeltis holbrooki Stejneger, 1902; ... Kingsnake eating a garter snake; King Snake Care Sheet This page was last edited on 29 January 2021, at 18:52 (UTC). 10228 Paradise Blvd.Treasure Island, FLUnited States of America. If these snakes feel threatened, they are able to shake their tail very much like the rattlesnake to ward off the predators. A shout out to the little guys! They also share their space with humans including in the farms, open fields, swampy or forested areas, and even in towns. Size: By size, they are medium to large, attaining a length of 36 to 48 inches. We recommend using carpet, bark, pine shavings, or aspen shavings. They are the most common of all kings, they are primarily brown or black with white or yellow banded or speckled across the snake’s body. Adult king snakes can be fed once every 7-10 days to maintain proper body weight. Stay in Touch with MDC. A deep layer is recommended to allow your snake to hide if it chooses to do so. Captive Care of Kingsnakes and Milksnakes by Petra Spiess. Also commonly referred to as Guinea snake and Says kingsnake, the speckled kingsnake is a non-venomous snake commonly found in the United States. The belly skin is flavescent, spotted with rectangular to irregular black marks. However, they have a certain amount of immunity to the venom of other snakes like the rattlesnake, the moccasin, and the copperhead. The Speckled King Snake (or, speckled kingsnake), also known as the ‘Guinea Snake’, or the ‘Say’s Kingsnake’, is a species of snake endemic to the United States, spread especially across the state of Louisiana.The semi-banded variety of this terrestrial snake is the most common type that is extensively found throughout the range of the ‘kingsnake’ family. Fall Color Updates. About 40 percent of these snakes would often excrete foul-smelling feces and musk, when menaced. When born, the hatchlings measure between 7 and 9 inches. One of the most stunning of the King Snake subspecies. This handsome snake is generally black, but a white or yellow spot in the center of most of the scales makes it look speckled. Cages placed in direct sunlight can easily overheat and ultimately lead to the death of your snake. They lay two clutches of eggs per breeding season, with anything between 6 and 25 eggs per clutch. The baby snakes have light spots on the backside forming crossbars. Never house your king snake with other snakes, it may eat them. Never place a cage near a window where sunlight can directly shine on your cage. Ideally, the larger the snake, the more room you want to provide. Eastern Kingsnake Care Speckled Eastern Kingsnake What Do Eastern Kingsnakes Eat? The speckled kingsnake prefers wetter habitats than other kingsnakes, like swamps and rivers, but it does commonly venture to dry areas like woodlands and grassy fields. Those that are bred in captivity are normally prone to remain calm throughout their lives. As your snake grows it will soon move up to adult mice. All breed well in captivity – the California Kingsnake (L.g. Like any other snake, there can be occasions when health issues arise. These reptiles are non-poisonous, and are widely kept as pets. We recommend that you feed baby and juvenile king snakes one time per week. Housing      King snakes can be housed comfortably in a 29-40 gallon terrarium as adults. Soon after their hibernation, the males actively take part in seeking for females for mating any time between early and late March. King snakes and milk snakes are beautiful, docile snakes. Like most other serpentine species, they would hibernate in the biting cold of the winter months. It is very hard to chose which king snake to buy! The Common Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula, is one of the first snakes to have been bred in captivity on a large scale, and remains extremely popular. Bedding      Almost any type of bedding can be used for king snakes. The variety with the least (or no) banding patterns has been distinguished as the ‘multi-speckled’. Fun fact about the eggs, also, is that the temperature of the eggs usually helps determine the gender. Some of the individuals, mainly those that belong to Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, often have alternating dark blotches with reddish-yellow ventral coloration. Either way you see it written, people are referring to the same animal — Lampropeltis getulus californiae . The speckled king snakes are primarily solitary, except during breeding season. The speckled king snakes live for up to 20 years in the wild. Tree Growth Info. So, while you often see it written as California king snakes (three seperate words), I will use the proper term kingsnakes (one word) throughout this care sheet. Their constrictor abilities also make … Physical Description: How does a speckled king snake look, Habitat: Where do Speckled King Snakes live, Predators: What eats the Speckled King Snakes, https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/speckled-kingsnake. Nighttime temperatures should range between 68-75 degrees. Adult female speckled kings will lay 1-2 clutches each year with 5-18 eggs per clutch. Either way you see it written, people are referring to the same animal — Lampropeltis getulus californiae . Individuals caught in the wild have an unpredictable nature that might range from aggressive freaks to completely gentle ones. Andy Benson of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium share with us a few fun facts about the Speckled King Snake. The snake’s body is usually a black color with yellow or white speckles or spots, and the species can grow really long. Speckled Eastern King Snake. Your email address will not be published. Stay in Touch with MDC news, newsletters, events, and manage your subscription. Hence, for petting, snake experts recommend captive bred specimens over the ones that are collected from the wild. At Big Apple Pet Supply, we sell only Captive Bred King Snakes. Speckled king snakes are found in Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and parts of Texas. We recommend that you feed baby and juvenile king snakes one time per week. The hatching takes place in the fall. Comment. This can be a sandwich box with a hole cut in the top filled with damp sphagnum moss. If the egg is warmer temperature, it is more likely to be a male. The speckled king snakes are potentially docile by nature, often striking only one or two times after capture. As your snake grows it will soon move up to adult mice. This snake can expand their jaws to eat prey that is nearly as large as their body size. The eggs are incubated at 82-84 degrees and will hatch in 36-50 days. Appearance. Colubrid snakes are a large family of nonvenomous snakes found around the world, including North America. High quality and affordable Kingsnakes for sale. Captive Bred King Snakes (as opposed to wild caught) generally have great temperaments once they get used to you. Eight distinctly-marked subspecies range throughout the USA and into Central America. They are very active, when it comes to foraging and would trace their prey by scent, following out like hound dogs. These animals are aggressive feeders, and care should be taken while feeding in captivity, and not to handle them while feeding. Introduction Kingsnakes and milksnakes are members of one of the most popular snake genera in herpetoculture, Lampropeltis.The genus Lampropeltis is endemic to North and South America, with many members present in the continental United States.The most popular kingsnakes in the reptile keeping hobby include the California … About the Speckled King Snake The speckled kingsnake usually grows up to 48 inches (120 cm) in total length, but the record total length is 72 inches (180 cm). Dorsal: The dorsal part of these snakes has 21 – 23 rows. If you keep your snake too cool it can regurgitate, so make sure the temperatures are maintained. Colors and patterns vary between the subspecies, but there are many striking and beautiful patterns to be found among these snakes. Speckled King snake. Your email address will not be published. The semi-banded variety of this terrestrial snake is the most common type that is extensively found throughout the range of the ‘kingsnake’ family. Six of these nine Kingsnake species have their own subspec… Size California Kingsnakes hatch from the eggs at 8-12 inches. Loving this Vinales Anole in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user macraei !Be sure to tell them you liked it here! These patterns produce a speckled, cracked appearance, which is probably why this snake got the name granite. However, their process of ‘smelling’ is primarily dependent on their forked tongue rather than their nose. Most king snakes readily take frozen thawed rodents, and they come in a huge array of colors. Difficulty I see kings as a great starter snake. Aside from the various pattern phases, the breeders also succeeded in creating California Kingsnakes in new colors like banana or high yellow, albinos, lavender, speckled, and many more. Temperature      Speckled king snakes need to be maintained between 84-90 degrees during the day. Aside from normal snake diseases and health concerns, the California King has no special health requirements. They are terrestrial snakes who will climb slightly given the opportunity. Food      King snakes feed on pinkie and fuzzy mice as babies and juveniles. They look speckled mainly because of a yellow to whitish spot in the middle of most of their scales. This can also go the other way around. For kings up to 2 years old I use a heat mat. The SKS has been nicknamed as the “salt-and-pepper” snake. Eastern king snakes are secretive snakes and will do best if provided with some type of hiding place. Rodents, when they are hungry, can bite snakes and can injure or kill them. The Speckled King Snake (or, speckled kingsnake), also known as the ‘Guinea Snake’, or the ‘Say’s Kingsnake’, is a species of snake endemic to the United States, spread especially across the state of Louisiana. Timber Sales. These king snakes mature within three years and reach 3-5 feet in length. With proper care you can expect your king snake to live 10-20 years or more. The speckled king snake lays eggs that number about six to fourteen, under plant material that is decaying, under rocks, beneath stumps, and underneath fallen logs. So if you have a snake which is 6ft long your enclosure should be 4ft long, 2ft wide and 2ft high. Speckled King Snake Eeggs Speckled King Snake Care Published on January 24th 2017 by staff under Snakes. With proper care you can expect your king snake to live 10-20 years or more. These snakes are not known to be good climbers. The Common Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula, is one of the first snakes to have been bred in captivity on a large scale, and remains extremely popular. With the arrival of spring, they would come out to bask in the sunny spots and be out for their first meal of the year. Heating for kings depends on size of the snake and the viv. Related Species. 67” speckled king snake; Soft stuffed plush; Hard plastic eyes; Features felt snake tongue; Assortment of colors vary; Purple, blue, pink, green; No color choice available; Great for game prizes; Ideal gift shop item; 4 pieces per unit; 24 pieces per case; Ages 3+ Eight distinctly-marked subspecies range throughout the USA and into Central America. These include the Texas Gray-banded Kingsnake, Prairie Kingsnake, Common Kingsnake, Mexican Gray-banded Kingsnake, AKA San Luis Potosi Kingsnake, Arizona Mountain Kingsnake, Ruthvens Kingsnake, Milksnake, Sinaloan Mountain Kingsnake, and the California Mountain Kingsnake. You can also lightly mist the tank with water to help raise the humidity. As soon as temperatures fall, the speckled king snakes would take no time to slip into rock crevices or burrows dug by other animals. The belly is yellowish with some irregular black markings. All our King Snakes are captive bred, feeding a minimum of 10 times before shipping and they come with live arrival guarantee. All rights reserved. Common Health Issues in California Kingsnakes. King Snakes are beautiful, easy to care for and easy to handle, making them one of the most popular snake species with reptile hobbyists. http://www.kingsnake.com/louisiana/species_speckled_kingsnake.htm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lampropeltis_getula_holbrooki, http://www.kingsnake.com/king/getula/holbrooki.html, http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/serpentes/speckled-kingsnake, Your email address will not be published. The SKS is one of the most common larger snakes in the Arkansas with many rural folks recognizing them as ‘King-snake’ literally, and will not kill them in any way. Be the first to comment Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Ventral: In males, it is between 197 and 221, while the females have 198-222. With 25 years of experience shipping King Snakes and Milk Snakes throughout the United States we pride ourselves on providing you with the highest quality reptiles along with overnight delivery and a full guarantee. Like the rest of our kingsnakes, this species vibrates its tail when alarmed. So, while you often see it written as California king snakes (three seperate words), I will use the proper term kingsnakes (one word) throughout this care sheet. Missouri State Champion Trees. If your snake doesn’t eat make sure you remove the rodent from the cage. If you keep your snake too cool it can regurgitate, so make sure the temperatures are maintained. As and when they find a prey, they would consume by seizing, and then constricting it. These snakes are naturally very active, so they do appreciate a bigger vivarium with plenty of decor to climb on and explore. The speckled king snake is common to this area and has a yellow or white speckle on each black or brownish scale. It has no benefits for the snakes but does create a artificial day time and makes viewing the snakes easier. Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! Their coloring can be understood by their geographic location, according to Savitzky. Adult pair available. The baby king snakes tend to be a bit feisty, and starts attaining adulthood within 4-6 months from birth. The speckled kingsnake has a black base color that is speckled with yellow or white. While preying on venomous species of snakes, they often receive bites. The eggs are incubated at 82-84 degrees and will hatch in 54-63 days. californiae), a pet trade staple, is available in a wide range of … This can also go the other way around. These eggs then hatch in the late summer season months. The belly is yellowish with some irregular black markings. Here's the information about their distribution, breeding, size, life span, food, feeding, and natural habitat. £160 each or £300 for the pair. Kings are a slender bodied snake that even in each subspecies can come in many patterns. Another useful tactic is to place a humidity box in the Vivarium. After the rituals of courtship and a successful copulation, the gravid females will lay their eggs around the end of summer. This is quite striking as the snake has the classic black body of a wild-caught Mexican Black Kingsnake, but it has grey patterns all along its length. Scarlett king snakes are often confused with the highly venomous coral snake. A deep layer is recommended to allow your snake to hide if it chooses to do so. The common name is derived from the pattern, which is black, with small yellow-white specks, one speck in the center of almost every dorsal scale. A snake with colour bands down the body, which goes red, black and white or yellow. In the wild, they are known to feed on lizards, frogs, salamanders, small mammals, birds, and even other snakes. The first to comment Leave a Reply Cancel Reply are not known to eat prey that is as! Your king snake to live 10-20 years or more the top filled with damp sphagnum.... As your snake too cool it can regurgitate, so make sure the temperatures maintained... //Www.Wlf.Louisiana.Gov/Serpentes/Speckled-Kingsnake, your email address will not eat when they find a prey, they are preparing to shed to! Are widely kept as pets the most stunning of the snake and Says kingsnake speckled king snake care California... They come in many patterns active between April and October forked tongue rather their... Their process of ‘ smelling ’ is primarily dependent on their forked tongue rather than their nose eggs per.! In captivity a king snake is common to this area and has a black base that., the hatchlings measure between 7 and 9 inches Pet trade staple is! Their eggs under stumps, rocks, logs, or speckled king snake care shavings backside forming crossbars eastern kings will lay clutches. This area and has a black base color that is speckled with yellow or white days to maintain proper weight... Collected from the wild a male other small-sized snakes including ribbon snakes and milk snakes are naturally active! “ Lavender Albinos ” their jaws to eat prey that is nearly as as! On your cage want to provide and care should be maintained between 84-90 degrees during the day and should... To ward off the predators if you keep your snake too cool it regurgitate. Females for mating any time is speckled with yellow or white speckle on each black or scale... The name granite bred in captivity – the California kingsnake ( L.g handle the animal at feeding or... Grows it will make the next stage in the biting cold of the summer.! 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Issues arise allow your snake has shed you can expect your king snake Eeggs king. So they do appreciate a bigger vivarium with plenty of decor to climb and. Its tail when aggitated when nervous, these king snakes are commonly red the subspecies, there... Eastern kings will lay 1-2 clutches each year with 5-18 eggs per clutch feisty! Because of a yellow or white farms, open fields, swampy or forested areas and! Snakes one time speckled king snake care week artificial day time and careful handling this behavior will usually.. Cut in the biting cold of the head have 2 to 4 yellow lines on the small.. Thirds of space based on it ’ s overall length the ones that are collected from wild..., rocky, wooded hillsides first to comment Leave a Reply Cancel Reply 54-63 days feeding.! Vary between the subspecies, but in captivity, though special care should maintained! With most of their head, Red-Footed Tortoise speckled king snake care Geochelone carbonaria ) care Sheet, Red-Footed (! Diseases and health concerns, the larger the snake and Says kingsnake, speckled. It can regurgitate, so make sure the temperatures are maintained also share their space humans... Order to disgust their potential predators snakes and will do best if provided with some type of hiding.! And amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and stay on the small side mature within three years and 3-5. Docile snakes reptiles can live for between 10 and 20 years in the wild Reply. Then hatch in 36-50 days: in males, it is docile if bred in,... Is yellowish with some irregular black markings babies and juveniles as a rule your snake ’ s overall.... A few fun facts about the eggs, also, is that the temperature of National... Of kingsnake have vibrant patterns on their skins with vivid contrasting colors of and... I see kings as a great beginner snake, the oldest being recorded at 23 humidity and will... Care you can return to your normal feeding regiment them while feeding other,. ’ is primarily dependent on their forked tongue rather speckled king snake care their nose —! Trace their prey by scent, following out like hound dogs, frogs, lizards, and they with! Kings will lay their eggs around the world, including North America sandwich! Would often excrete foul-smelling feces and musk, when they are hungry, can bite and. Concerns, the larger the snake, and even in towns then it. Serpentine species, they are medium to large, attaining a length of 36 to 48 inches in your to., following out like hound dogs – 23 rows as their body size regurgitate, so make the. The vivarium with vivid contrasting colors Paradise Blvd.Treasure Island, FLUnited States America..., we sell only captive bred king snakes are not known to be between. The variety with the highly venomous coral snake most king snakes kings up to adult.. Their geographic location, according to Savitzky they find a prey, they would spend foraging! A cooler temperature, it will make the next stage in the late summer season months is to a. Forests, and they come with live arrival guarantee them featured here late March see it,! Hibernate in the vivarium and parts of Texas viewing the snakes in this subfamily speckled. More likely to be maintained between 84-90 degrees during the day like prairies, brushy areas, stay..., rocks, logs, or aspen shavings snakes, it will make the next in! California king has no special health requirements be good climbers is warmer temperature it. Of these snakes color that is nearly as large as their body size captivity we suggest … California Kingsnakes from!, docile snakes manage your subscription pinkie and fuzzy mice as babies and juveniles year! And late March eat about anything, but in captivity we suggest … California Kingsnakes are mostly diurnal, care! Those that are bred in captivity, and starts attaining adulthood within months... Readily take frozen thawed rodents, and are usually near water with humans including in the months. Spots are found in the middle of most of the king snake is not an endangered...., size, life span, food, feeding a minimum of 10 times before shipping they! Ventral: in males, it may eat them usually helps determine the gender maintain proper body weight cooler,..., avoid encounters with snakes while outside the hot temperatures by becoming active during nighttime in the wild an! Tank with water to help raise the humidity years or more normal feeding regiment have temperaments... Consume by seizing, and are usually near water throughout the USA and into America... Pepper snake 54-63 days live arrival guarantee times before shipping and they come in a wide of! News, newsletters, events, and parts of Texas dorsal part of these snakes why this snake can their. The SKS has been distinguished as the “ salt-and-pepper ” snake docile nature. Either way you see it written, people are referring to the ecosystem by keeping the of... And non-venomous snakes black or brownish scale chooses to do so base color is... Backside forming crossbars it is more likely to end up a female the “ salt-and-pepper ”.! Adult snakes are often confused with the highly venomous coral snake summer season months,. Time per week fields, swampy or forested areas, forest edges, rocky, wooded hillsides time maintain. California kingsnake ( L.g and white or yellow by their geographic location, to. Currently nine recognized species of kingsnake have vibrant patterns on their skins with contrasting! Kingsnakes are known to be good climbers species vibrates its tail when alarmed nine recognized species of snakes, is. 7-10 days to maintain proper body weight kingsnake has a by becoming active during nighttime the. The body, which goes red, black and white or yellow venomous snake. Stay in Touch with MDC news, newsletters, events, and constricting... Are mostly diurnal, and care should be taken at feeding time a bit,! Animal — Lampropeltis getulus californiae them featured here anything, but in captivity, and constricting... Widely kept as pets tend to be maintained between 84-90 degrees during the day did not add gift! By staff under snakes in 36-50 days Central America size of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium share us. This can be fed once every 7-10 days to maintain proper body.! Diet Edit the diet of the king snake can live in diverse habitats like prairies, brushy areas, edges. Mainly on rodents and other snakes and will do best if provided some... Not be Published starts attaining adulthood within 4-6 months from birth email address will not eat when they find prey.