COMMON KINGSNAKE
RELATED LINKS:
WILDLIFE
- Red Racer
- Gopher Snake
- Glossy Snake
- Common Kingsnake
- Mojave Rattlesnake
- Speckled Rattlesnake
- Panamint Rattlesnake
- Desert Sindwinder
- Diamondback Rattlesnake
- Great Basin Rattlesnake
- Gila Monster
- Chuckwalla
- Leopard Lizard
- Collard Lizard
- Spiny Lizard
- Desert Iguana
- Desert Whiptail
ANIMAL MOTION AND BODY COVERINGS
Common Kingsnake
Kingsnakes are unusual because they can safely eat even the rattlesnakes sharing their territory. For reasons not fully understood, rattlesnake venom does not harm kingsnakes. Though other snakes make up part of the kingsnake’s diet, small rodents and lizards are its most common foods. Like the gopher and glossy snakes, kingsnakes are constrictors. Active mainly at night, they sometimes also hunt during cool daylight hours, especially in spring and late summer. The bold, black and white pattern and shiny scales make this non-venomous snake easy to identify.
