Lampropeltis californiae
California kingsnake
A secure terrestrial cage. Kingsnakes are escape artists and they will eat other snakes.
Legal status
- Check local rules
Lampropeltis californiae is not recorded here as listed in the CITES Appendices. No EU wildlife-trade annex was verified for this species, so the annex field is empty. It is not marked on the EU list of invasive alien species and it is not marked as venomous. National and regional rules can still restrict keeping. Lampropeltis getula is on the EU invasive list under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1203. Lampropeltis californiae is a different scientific name and is not marked invasive here. Confirm whether your country treats your animal as covered before you keep or move it. Check local rules before you keep, move, or rehome an animal. This record is not a permit and not legal advice.
Official sourceNot legal advice. Rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Check the law that applies to you.
- Temperature
- 24–30°C
- Basking
- 30–32°C
- UVB
- Ferguson zone 1. About 0.1–0.7
- Humidity
- 40–60%
- Minimum enclosure
- About 120 × 45 × 45 cm for one adult
- Adult size
- Often 90–120 cm.
- Lifespan
- Often 15–20 years.
- Difficulty
- beginner
Diet and feeding
Rodents only, in a cage of their own. Every 5–7 days for juveniles. Every 7–14 days for adults.
Substrate
Aspen, paper, or cypress.
Health
Mites, stuck shed, and obesity.
Handling
Usually tolerant. Wash hands between snakes so you do not smell like food.
Husbandry ranges are general guidance for captive care, not a veterinary prescription or a permit. Confirm the gradient with your own thermometers. UV zones follow Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1), 2016, https://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150. Legal fields use the source link on this species and stay empty when an annex was not verified.