California kingsnake

Naming

The California kingsnake was introduced to Gran Canaria by the accidental or deliberate release of individuals bred in captivity. In 2007, its naturalization was confirmed on the northeastern side of the island, and in 2009 it was discovered in an area on the northwest side.

Behavior

The California kingsnake is generally diurnal, but they become more nocturnal if the weather is too hot. In the winter, they will usually go deep underground and enter a hibernation-like state called brumation, which is characterized by a slowed metabolism and reduced activity.

California kingsnakes are opportunistic feeders, feeding on almost any vertebrate they can constrict, just as all Colubridae do. Common food items include rodents, other reptiles, birds, and amphibians. All kingsnakes are non-venomous, but are powerful constrictors and generally kill their prey through suffocation. The "king" in their name refers to their propensity to hunt and consume other snakes, including venomous rattlesnakes that are commonly indigenous to their natural habitat. California kingsnakes are naturally impervious to the venom of rattlesnakes but are not totally immune. They feed on rattlesnakes when the opportunity arises and a rattlesnake will make an easy meal for a hungry kingsnake, but do not seek out rattlesnakes specifically, nor consume them on a regular basis. Rattlesnakes and California kingsnakes are not enemies, and may be found sharing the same piece of cover in the wild while completely ignoring the presence of the other.

When disturbed, California kingsnakes will often coil their bodies to hide their heads, hiss, and rattle their tails, which, if done in dry vegetation, can produce a sound somewhat resembling that of a rattlesnake's rattle. They are considered harmless to humans, but if handled it is common for this species to bite as well as excrete musk and fecal contents from their cloaca, but this latter habit is usually restricted to the females.

Kingsnakes usually shed four to six times per year at which point they go "opaque", meaning the snake's skin becomes dull and its eyes will turn a milky white color, rendering them practically blind. However, a snakes' sight is not frequently their optimal sense, but can still disorient and/or change their behavior, especially in snakes kept in captivity. Like all snakes, they usually shed in one piece, which includes their eye scales. Juvenile snakes will shed more frequently, up to once a month, than adult snakes because of their faster rate of growth. Prior to shedding, they will generally seek out humid microclimates in their habitat and rub their heads on rough surfaces like rocks, hardened earth, tree bark or dry vegetation.

Reproduction

The California King is an oviparous internal fertilization animal, meaning it lays eggs as opposed to giving live birth like some other snakes. Courtship for this kingsnake begins in the spring and involves the males competing for available females. Their mating ritual begins by the male snake vibrating uncontrollably. Eggs are laid between May and August which is generally 42–63 days after mating; in preparation the female will have chosen a suitable location. The typical clutch size is five to twelve eggs with an average of nine, though clutches of 20 or more eggs are known. The hatchlings usually emerge another 40–65 days later, and are approximately eight to thirteen inches in length. Adult California kingsnakes seldom exceed 48 inches and are most commonly 2.5–3.5 feet in length.