Banded California Kingsnake

Product Description

Application to Purchase Required - live animal purchases require a review of your setup. After placing your order, a Customer Care Specialist will reach out to review your husbandry and habitat. Approval for purchase is NOT guaranteed and if denied, the order may be cancelled. Upon approval, you will receive a link to set up a shipping date for your live animal. All animals ship via Fed Ex overnight.

Species Overview

Common Name: California Banded Kingsnake
Scientific Name: Lampropeltis californiae
Size: Established juvenile. Approximately 15” total length when shipped.
Adult size: Adults can reach 30-48” total length.

Sex: Male

Diet: Frozen thawed adult mouse - Feeding schedule provided after purchase

Each snake is carefully evaluated in-house for

Clean fecal
Nido Virus testing
Healthy body score
Normal activity and behavior
No retained eyecaps or stuck shed

Defining Traits

Keeper level: California Banded Kingsnakes are great for beginners. They can live up to 20 years with proper care.
Temperament: Docile, active, curious.
Physical appearance: California kingsnakes have a sleek, slender body with smooth, glossy scales, an oval head, round pupils, and a striking pattern of broad alternating black and white bands, with other color variations also occurring.
Biological niche: Diurnal and terrestrial, California kingsnakes occupy a wide range of habitats including forests, grasslands, scrublands, and deserts.
Native Range: Native to southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Kept as individuals only. Kingsnakes are known to eat other snakes and should not be housed with other snakes.

Care at a Glance

Vivarium size and setup

Adults need a minimum 4’x2’x2’ enclosure. This is an active species.
Set up as an semi-arid bioactive habitat.
We have excellent success with a 70% Terra Firma 30% Terra Sahara. This creates the rocky, yet loamy and wood-dense substrate with full burrowing and microclimate opportunities.
Rock slabs, cork, and driftwood for hides and thermal zones. This species highly benefits from at least 1-2 larger minerals in their habitat.
Due to their climate, be sure to use plenty of dense biodegradeables, as a Sugar Cane Bagasse, Colombian Leaves, Palm Bark and cork bark pieces. Arid springtails are recommended with Powder Blue Isopods. For neonates up to 6 months, do not utilize any isopods. Due to their small size babies can be predated upon via the isopods with more protein-hungry species.
Open basking areas with sheltered retreats
Good cross-ventilation and strong seasonal light cycle

Temperature

Create a broad, naturalistic gradient. Hotspot 85-90F, cool side of 70-80F.
Arcadia Forest 6% UVB is recommended.
Overhead heat
Ensure thermal safety via thermostats and gradient testing.

Humidity

They are a semi-arid species and can be kept on the drier side.
They should have access to a humid hide at all times.
Light evening misting can help support microclimate diversity without oversaturation

Diet

Frozen / thawed rodents only. Never fed live.

Caresheet & Resources

Full caresheet:

Click here for caresheet

View Lampropeltis californiae on the IUCN List

Important Policies (Please Read Before Purchasing)

After purchasing, upload your habitat for approval here:

After approval, we will email you the animal purchase contract found here

Read our Live Arrival Guarantee prior to purchasing here

Scheduling:

We care about long-term success. All live animals require a scheduled shipping date set after the approval process. To book your shipping day, click here.