Mexican Black Kingsnakes are wonderful pets, even for those who have never owned a snake before! Their temperament, ease of care, and low maintenance diet put them right on par in terms of care with corn snakes, which are just about the easiest snake to own. Short answer: Absolutely, positively, yes!!
Mexican Black Kingsnake is Lampropeltis getula nigrita. Lampropeltis comes from Greek for “shiny” and “shield.” In addition to physical appeal, they’re enthusiastic rodent eaters and aren’t easy to stress from overhandling – making them perfect candidates as pet snakes for newbies. Although their visual acuity is impaired, they possess heightened sensitivity detecting motion. Due to ophiophagous nature, not advisable to house with other snakes.
They are great for beginners with simple dietary needs and enjoy handling. These snakes are active, seen hunting and basking during day. One side of enclosure can be warmer. Think lots of rocks and shrubs, replicating natural habitat.
Breeding requires understanding brumation, courtship, egg-laying, incubation, and hatching to ensure success. Important to understand interaction during this time to provide best environment.
If looking for unique, interesting snake without poison, good choice. Easy to look after, great for beginners. Striking appearance sure to impress. Outlined everything needed – enclosure, food, handling ease.
Non-venomous subspecies of common kingsnake. Known for resisting venom and eating snakes that kill most animals! Sleek, jet-black, average 3-4 feet. Found across Mexico and America, nonvenomous. Myth they’re venomous comes from eating venomous snakes. Most commonly kept type.
Easy pet snake for child? Take look at article to discover care for this kind animal. Nonvenomous, indigenous of North America. Often in Sonoran Desert, Mexico, Arizona. One of Eastern Chain Kingsnake species, scientifically Lampropeltis getula. Called Lampropeltis Getula nigrita for black appearance.
Are black kingsnakes poisonous?
The Mexican black kingsnake is a non-venomous snake. It has smooth, black scales that shine brightly. This snake lives in desert areas of Northwestern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. It is active during the night and day.
The baby snakes have red, yellow, black or white stripes, spots or bands. Aberrant kingsnakes have unusual color patterns compared to others of their species. The kingsnake eats other snakes, even rattlesnakes. It also eats birds, eggs, rodents and lizards. The kingsnake bite is not poisonous to humans but may bite if threatened.
The Eastern Chain Kingsnake in North America has black scales with yellow or white bands shaped like chains. Sometimes these kingsnakes appear jet black. Other popular kinds are speckled brown and black or red with yellow and black bands. Kingsnake scales shine like a shield.
The California Kingsnake grows up to 5 feet long. Its scales are dark brown or black with yellowish-white bands. After breeding, baby California Kingsnakes emerge from eggs in about 70 days. These snakes look like small adults. Though large, California Kingsnakes are nonvenomous and make good pets.
In North Carolina, the Eastern Kingsnake has a black back with thin yellow bands shaped like chains. Sometimes the bands form small yellow spots over the black instead. Baby kingsnakes eat small snakes, eggs and rodents.
Kentucky has harmless snakes like the brown Earthsnake and ratsnake, which get large. Kentucky also has some dangerous venomous snakes including the Copperhead, Cottonmouth and Timber Rattlesnake.
What size tank does a Mexican black kingsnake need?
Adults are easily kept in a 20-30 gallon glass aquarium with a screen lid. A 4 foot snake will likely feel more at home in a 40 gallon breeder tank.
Since they are quite easy to care for, Mexican black kingsnakes have become a popular pet snake, particularly suitable for novice collectors. King Snakes make very good pets because they are very easy to care for.
They are non-venomous colubrids, and a subspecies of the common kingsnake. The average price of a Mexican black kingsnake is between $100 and $200. You should always buy from reputable dealers.
Adults are easily kept in a 20-30 gallon glass aquarium with a screen lid. A 4 foot snake will likely feel more at home in a 40 gallon breeder tank. 36”L x 18”W. The minimum enclosure size recommended for housing one California kingsnake is 36”L x 18”W x 16”H, but larger is recommended if you have the space for it!
There are several different ways that you can heat a Mexican Black Kingsnake enclosure. The Mexican Black Kingsnake is a common pet snake that can grow up to six feet in length. They are a non-venomous species of snake and have a docile temperament.
When they are hatchlings, they need a 20 gallon tank, but when they reach adulthood, they need an enclosure that is at least 4’x2’x2′. It is better to use a long and low tank, because this species is primarily terrestrial. A sand and soil substrate mix works best for them.
The Mexican black kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigrita) is a non-venomous colubrid snake and considered a subspecies of the common kingsnake. The ideal tank for the Mexican Black kingsnake is one made from glass. A young snake will need at least a 10 gallon tank. As the snake grows, you need to increase the tank size.
How big of a tank does a Mexican Black Kingsnake need? Adults are easily kept in a 20-30 gallon glass aquarium with a screen lid. The larger the enclosure the better, a 4 foot snake will likely feel more at home in a 40 gallon breeder tank. They can live anywhere between 20 and 30 years. The Mexican black kingsnake is a non-venomous colubrid snake and considered a subspecies of the common kingsnake.
Mexican Black Kingsnakes are great beginner snakes. Their large size and more docile nature means that you can enjoy handling these snakes. Heating pads or heat tape on the bottom of the tank will ensure your Mexican Black King Snake always has a warm spot to digest its meals.
You’ll need to provide a temperature gradient and appropriate lighting for your Mexican Black Kingsnake to stay healthy. For feeding, you’ll need reptile tongs or snake hooks, such as the Zoo Med Snake Hook, for frozen thawed chicks or mice eggs, which are suitable prey items for these snakes.
Maintaining an ambient temperature gradient ranging from 75-82°F is essential for a Mexican black kingsnake to stay happy and healthy. A night time drop in temperature to 70-74°F is also important. An easy way to replicate a natural temperature gradient is by using a 60W ceramic heat emitter.
How big do Mexican black king snakes get?
A full grown Mexican black kingsnake is about 4 feet long in size in the wild. However, a well-fed captive snake might grow to 5 feet. How big do female Mexican black kingsnakes get? Female Mexican Black Kingsnakes can reach 4 feet in length. They are thicker around their bodies than males. Males typically reach 3 feet and are slimmer than females.
Males and females have the same coloring and patternless bodies. Mexican black kingsnakes are not usually aggressive. They are slender and grow to an average of 3 to 5 feet in length. An adult snake requires a 20-gallon enclosure. The Mexican Black Kingsnake typically reaches an average adult size of 3 to 6 feet in length, with some rare individuals reaching up to 8 feet long.
They have been known to live up to 20 years in captivity when provided proper care and nutrition. Yes, Mexican Black Kingsnakes are capable of biting. Although they do not possess any venom, their bites can still cause injury and should be treated with caution. Hatchlings: For the first week, a Mexican black kingsnake does not require feeding. 7-10 days: During this period, give your snake 1 pinky.
If you have only a relatively large pinky, or a particularly small snake, cut the pinky in half. It is recommended that only pre-killed prey be offered as live prey has the potential of severely injuring or killing captive snakes, especially those unaccustomed to live prey. Found in Mexico and Arizona, Mexican black kingsnakes are a solid jet black subspecies of the common kingsnake that lives for 10 to 20 years.