S. America California King Snake Lampropeltis getulus californiae Range Eastern and southwestern Oregon, California, southwestern Nevada, southern Utah and western Arizona and into Baja, Mexico. Often found near streams. Characteristics Generic name means shiny skin . Scales are smooth.
Dorsal pattern is highly variable but frequently consists of dark and light rings.
Behavior Constrictor but often vibrates tail as bluff . Hides under logs or stones. If caught, can be vicious, biting and chewing hard, but after adjusting to captivity, usually becomes quite good-tempered. Because of their snake-eating habits, they are often caged separately in captivity. Sometimes rolls into a ball with its head at the center and everts lining of cloaca as bluff .