is considered a popular pet due to its ease of care and maintenance.
They are strong snakes with a high level of endurance.
Let’s learn more about it from teketrek.
Facts about The King Snake
The King Snake is popular among people and belongs to the family Colubridae, subfamily Colubrinae, and order Squamata.
King Snakes can be found all over the world.
The reason behind the name “King Snake” is that this type of snake preys on other snakes.
In addition, they do not have ear openings but sense sounds through vibrations of sound waves through their skull.
Males of King Snakes are slightly smaller than females.
The scales of King Snakes are used for treating some skin problems, epilepsy, and high blood pressure.
When feeling threatened, King Snakes release a foul odor and shake their tail to defend themselves.
King Snakes are nocturnal creatures and are diurnal in temperate regions.
King Snakes hibernate in caves, burrows, and tree trunks during the winter season.
King Snakes have constricting muscles that they use to squeeze their prey until it dies before swallowing it.
King Snakes also have other muscles that strangle their prey and compress their lungs for the animal to die within seconds.
The King Snake specification
Size: King snake size is medium.
Skins: Most King Snakes have vibrant patterns on their skins with contrasting colors resembling spots.
Body: King Snakes have a striped body with these patterns to make them less visible to predators like birds of prey.
Eye: King Snakes do not have limbs or movable eyelids, but they have a transparent disc-shaped layer that protects their eyes from dust and dirt.
This transparent layer in their eyes allows King Snakes to have vision even when their eyes are closed.
The length: The length of a King Snake ranges from 91 cm to 183 cm.
King snake colors: They have scalloped scales with bright colors like orange, red, or white.
Tongue: King Snakes have a tongue that they use to gather chemicals from the air and ground to enable them to smell.
Tail: King Snakes have a separate tail from the rest of their body that helps them in various uses, such as grasping objects and defending themselves, as well as serving as a communication device between snakes.
Age: King Snakes live from 20 to 30 years.
The most important King snake species
Eastern King Snake: Characterized by its black color, this type of snake is found on the eastern coast from southern New Jersey west to the Appalachians, as well as in southeast Alabama.
Black King Snake: This type of snake is found in Tennessee and in various areas of southern and western Ohio.
Spotted King Snake: This colorful snake is distinguished by yellow or white spots.
It has been found in the central United States, Alabama, and Texas.
California King Snake: Considered relatively small, this species has shiny black scales with bright white markings. Most of these species have white bands and live in Colorado and Mexico.
Scarlet King Snake: Found in central Virginia to Key West, Florida, and west to the Mississippi River. It is characterized by its red color with yellow and black stripes surrounding its body.
What is the diet of the King Snake?
King Snakes eat a few times a month depending on the size of their meals.
They feed on rodents, birds, bird eggs, and lizards.
In wet climates, they also consume turtle eggs and frogs.
King Snakes have strong immunity against venomous snakes, so they also eat venomous snakes.
Mating stages of the King Snake:
The mating season of King Snakes depends on the climate and the species.
Some prefer warm climates for mating while others prefer cold climates.
Generally, the mating season lasts from March to August.
Males search for females by scent and bite the female’s neck during mating.
Males may fight with other males for a female.
Females lay approximately 3 to 24 eggs in isolated locations, and the eggs remain until they hatch on their own, which takes from two to three months.
King Snakes reach sexual maturity at 2 to 4 years old.
FAQs about king snake
Why is it called the king snake?
This is because its primary food source is other snakes, including venomous species.
How strong is King Snake?
The capability to exert 180 mm Hg of pressure.
Where are king snakes found?
southeastern Canada to southern Ecuad
What is the largest king snake on record?
The longest recorded individual measured 208.2 cm (82 inches)..)
Do king snakes climb?
Habitat: King Snakes thrive in environments with plenty of hiding spaces and branches to climb on.
Is king snake a cobra?
It isn’t, or at least should be! A king snake is a completely different species from the king cobra of Africa and Asia..
Are king snakes friendly?
It is true that king snakes feed on other snakes, but they can be tame. They are calm and easy to handle if they are raised properly from an early age, but they will bite if they feel afraid or threatened.
In conclusion, we remind you that the King Snake can be a friendly pet and is easy to care for due to its gentle and calm behavior.
We hope that this article has provided you with useful information, valuable facts, and amazing insights about the King Snake.
References
Wikipedia
