The Mexican Black Kingsnake is a subspecies of the Common Kingsnake. The Kingsnake has a number of different sub-species but the exact number continues to be debated among scientists.
The scientific name for this snake is Lampropeltis getula nigrita. The Common Kingsnake is called Lampropeltis getula while the nigrita denotes that the Mexican Black Kingsnake is a sub-species of this snake.
Some of the other commonly known sub-species of Kingsnake include the California Kingsnake and the Florid Kingsnake. All these snakes are very closely related but have very noticeable differences.
Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The Mexican Black Kingsnake belongs to the Colubridae or Colubrid family of snakes. This is the largest family of Snakes in the world consisting of many popular species such as Corn Snakes and Milk Snakes.
With around 250 different genera of Colubrids, these snakes can be found on every continent except Antarctica which also makes them the most widely distributed family of snake in the world.
The vast majority of Colubrid snakes are non-venomous, or at least contain a venom that isn’t considered to be medically significant to humans. However, there are a number of species of Colubrid snakes that contain venom capable of killing humans. This includes species from the Boiga and Rhabdophis genera as well as other snakes such as the Boomslang.
Genus
The Mexican Black Kingsnake belongs to the Lampropeltis genus. This genus contains the New World Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes. Its scientific name is Lampropeltis getula nigrita. It belongs to the same genus as the Grey Banded Kingsnake.
The Kingsnake gets its name from the fact that they often eat other snakes, including Rattlesnakes. Similarly, the King Cobra gets its name from its tendency to also eat other snakes.
The scientific name ‘Lampropeltis’ comes from the Greek words ‘lampro’ and ‘pelte’ which loosely translates to ‘shiny shield’. This is a reference to these snakes smooth, enamel-like dorsal scales.
Species
The Mexican Black Kingsnake is considered a sub-species of the Common Kingsnake. The scientific name for this species is called ‘getula’. However, this is heavily debated with many species that were once considered sub-species of ‘Common Kingsnakes’ getting reclassified as full species.
The Mexican Black Kingsnake was not reclassified to species level but has been but under ‘Lampropeltis californiae’ or the California Kingsnake. It is still being debated whether this snake is a sub-species of Common Kingsnake, a sub-species of California Kingsnake or a locale of California Kingsnake.
Description
The Mexican Black Kingsnake is a relatively small species of snake, growing to lengths of between 3 and 4 feet. They are usually completely patternless but their scales reflect a “blueish” shimmer when exposed to light.
Although named the ‘Black’ Kingsnake, these snakes aren’t actually black. They are very dark chocolate brown in colour. This can be seen when the snake is exposed to light.
Juveniles can have some white spots or freckling but this usually fades or disappears entirely as the snake matures. These spots are usually around the neck of the snake.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Mexican Black Kingsnake is native to Sonora and the Sinaloa deserts. Their range extends into the Southern parts of Arizona. The population of Mexican Black Kingsnake in Arizona is believed to be a hybrid as they will often breed with the California Kingsnake.
The Mexican Red Knee Tarantula is also found in Western Mexico but their ranges don’t overlap as the Mexican Black Kingsnake is found further south. However, they share part of their range with the venomous Prairie Rattlesnake and the Eastern Racer.
This population in Arizona is also believed to breed with the Desert Kingsnake, further diluting the bloodline of pure Mexican Black Kingsnake in the region.
Although these snakes have adapted to life in the desert, they can also be found in nearby semi-arid grasslands and shrublands. These snakes play an important role in their ecosystem. They help control rodent and Rattlesnake populations, as they prey on both of these animals.
To avoid the intense heat of the desert and surrounding areas, the Mexican Black Kingsnake will spend a large portion of their day hidden in rodent burrows or under debris.
Mexican Black Kingsnakes as Pets
The Mexican Black Kingsnake makes a great pet. They are a hardy, docile snake that doesn’t need a high level of maintenance. The jet-black appearance of the snake mixed with the Blue iridescent light that their scales reflect, make them a visually stunning snake.
Growing to an average length of only 3-4ft, they are very easy to manage and handle. They do not require an excessively large enclosure and can be fed a diet consisting exclusively of rodents.
The Mexican Black Kingsnake is widely available and bred in captivity. They are also very cheap to purchase so there is no reason to take one of these from the wild or purchase a wild caught animal. Wild populations play an important role within their ecosystem.
Feeding a Mexican Black Kingsnake
In the wild, the Mexican Black Kingsnake feeds primarily on rodents, snakes, lizards and eggs. This diet does not need to be replicated in captivity and your snake can be fed exclusively on rodents.
In the wild, these snakes are even known to eat Rattlesnakes. Because of this, there is a common misconception that the Mexican Black Kingsnake is immune to Rattlesnake venom. They are not immune to the venom, but they have built up a tolerance to it.
There is another misconception that Rattlesnakes are an important part of this snake’s diet. This isn’t true and the Mexican Black Kingsnake doesn’t even prey on young Rattlesnakes. They are simply opportunistic feeders and will eat whatever prey is available to them.
In captivity, you can feed your Mexican Black Kingsnake a diet consisting exclusively of frozen thawed mice or rats. The size of the prey item should be no larger than the girth of the snake at the snake’s largest point.
If you want to add variety into your snake’s diet, you can offer them the occasional feeder Anole or baby chicks. If you have access to fresh quail eggs in your area, these could also be offered on occasion.
You should feed hatchlings every 5-7 days while adults can be fed less frequently, unless you are bringing them back up to weight after breeding. Generally, adults can be fed an appropriately sized meal every 7-10 days.
Like many species of snake, the Mexican Black Kingsnake can go off their food during the colder months. This is completely normal. Simply continue to offer them a meal every two weeks or so until they start eating again.
Mexican Black Kingsnake Enclosure
An adult Mexican Black Kingsnake can be comfortably housed in an enclosure measuring 3ft x 2ft x 2ft. This will give your snake all the space they need to live a comfortable life. You can always offer the snake a larger enclosure if you can, this is entirely up to you.
Juveniles and hatchlings can be housed in a smaller version of an adult’s enclosure. A setup measuring 2ft x 1ft x 1ft works well for juveniles. Juveniles even do well in tubs as these enclosures offer them security.
We don’t recommend keeping adults or sub-adults in tubs, however. The Mexican Black Kingsnake likes to burrow into the substrate and climb on low lying branches. Tubs simply don’t offer the snake the opportunity to these things.
Try to offer the snake a loose substrate that is at least 4 inches deep. This will allow them to dig and burrow below the surface of the substrate. You should also include a couple of climbing branches in the enclosure.
As with all snakes, the Mexican Black Kingsnake needs to feel secure. Ensure you include at least one hiding place at either end of the enclosure. One at the warm end and one at the cool end. A freshwater bowl must also be present .
Light and Heat
The Mexican Black Kingsnake likes a heat source of around 90F. The ambient temperature in the enclosure can drop to around 80F. At night, the temperature can safely drop to around 75F, providing it is brought back up again the following morning.
There are several different ways that you can heat a Mexican Black Kingsnake enclosure. The two most commonly used methods involve using an under-tank heat mat or a heat/ceramic bulb.
A heat mat can be placed under the tank to provide belly heat for your snake. This mat should cover about one third of the floor space of the enclosure . This will allow for a thermal gradient as the snake moves away from the source of the heat.
Heat mats can get excessively hot. Therefore, it is necessary to connect them to an on/off thermostat. These thermostats work by turning off the heat mat when it exceeds the desired temperature. It will turn back on then when the temperature falls below the desired temperature.
If you have a deep layer of substrate, a heat mat will not pass enough heat through to your snake. In this case, you will need to use overhead heat. This will come in the form of a heat lamp or ceramic heat emitter.
Overhead heat works by raising the temperature of the air in the enclosure. As you move away from the source of the heat, the temperature will decrease. This will provide a thermal gradient for your snake.
Bulbs should always be connected to a pulse proportional thermostat. This is a different kind of stat that adjusts the amount of current supplied to the bulb. If it is too hot, less current will be supplied, reducing the temperature of the bulb and vice versa.
Mexican Black Kingsnake Substrate
Juveniles can be kept on newspaper or paper towel. If keeping your babies in a tub, this is the best substrate to use as it makes it easier to monitor your snake’s health which will ultimately ensure that you can provide the appropriate level of Mexican Black Kingsnake care.
As the snake grows, you may want to put them into a more elaborate display enclosure. This should include a deep layer of loose substrate to allow the snake the opportunity to burrow.
Mexican Black Kingsnakes do great when provided about 4 inches of substrate. Aspen is great for this as it is relatively cheap and easy for your snake to burrow in. If you cannot provide a deep layer of substrate, ensure that you have enough hiding places for the snake to feel secure.
Mexican Black Kingsnake Humidity
The Mexican Black Kingsnake doesn’t need excessively high humidity. A humidity level of around 40-60% is ideal for this snake. Depending on where you live, you might not need to do anything other than provide a large water bowl to achieve this level of humidity.
If the humidity is extremely low where you live, a light misting of the substrate may be required to help increase it. You can buy a cheap hydrometer in any pet store which will give you a good indication of the humidity levels in the enclosure.
Handling a Mexican Black Kingsnake
A Mexican Black Kingsnake should be handled regularly in captivity from a young age for them to build up a trusting relationship with you. As with any snake, they can be a bit nippy as babies, but this will usually fade with regular handling.
You need to take precautions when taking a Mexican Black Kingsnake out. They are a quick snake and will try to flee if they feel threatened. Make sure you support the snake at all times during handling to prevent injury to the snake.
Breeding Mexican Black Kingsnakes
In order to successfully breed Mexican Black Kingsnakes you will need to put them through a cooling period. It is important to note that you should only attempt to breed these snakes if they are in full health.
In the beginning of Winter, you should begin to drop the temperature of their enclosure. This should be done gradually until the temperature reaches about 60F.
You must stop feeding your snakes at least 2- 3 weeks before you cool them down in order for the snakes to digest their last meal and empty their digestive tracts. Any leftover food will rot in your snakes’ stomach during brumation period. This could lead to an internal infection which could be deadly.
After 2-3 months of brumation, you can gradually start to increase the temperature of your Mexican Black Kingsnake enclosures. This should be done gradually to prevent fertility issues, which has been noted in males if warmed too fast.
A couple of days after temperatures have been restored, you can begin to offer food. Males sometimes refuse to eat during the breeding season, but females will usually accept a meal.
About a week after the snakes have come out of brumation you can introduce the male Mexican Black Kingsnake into the female’s enclosure. Mating behaviour will usually be observed almost immediately.
Once mating has occurred, you should remove the male from the female’s enclosure. You can reintroduce them multiple times to increase the chances of fertilisation. You can also rotate the male between multiple females.
If mating is successful, the fertilised eggs will develop inside the female. She will then go through a pre-lay shed around 4-6 weeks before the clutch is laid. This is your best indication of when to expect eggs.
You will need to introduce an egg laying sight, so your female has a place to deposit the eggs. A Mexican Black Kingsnake can lay a clutch of 5 to 20 eggs. These are the two extremes, with average clutches consisting of around 12 eggs.
Clutch size is highly variable and depends on a number of factors including health and weight of the female, whether she has laid a clutch before and genetics.
You should incubate your Mexican Black Kingsnake eggs on a moist substrate. The temperature inside the incubator should be around 82F. At these temperatures, eggs will begin to hatch after around 70 to 75 days.
Hatchlings should be housed in individual enclosures. Small tubs are great for hatchling Mexican Black Kingsnakes as they provide security and allow you to easily monitor their progress.
After the babies have undergone their first shed, you can start feeding them pinkie mice. You can begin a feeding schedule of one mouse every 5 to 7 days.
Shopping List
We have put together a list of some of the items you may need if you want to purchase a Mexican Black Kingsnake of your own. This list is not exhaustive and many of the items can be replaced with the brands that you prefer.
Note that some of our recommendations contain Affiliate links but we will never link to a product that we don’t like.
Exo Terra Glass Enclosure (For Juvenile Only)
Reptile Hide
Heat Lamp with Dimming Switch
Ceramic Bulbs
Feeding Thongs
Collapsible Snake Hook
Recommended Reading
If you are considering purchasing a Mexican Black Kingsnake, we recommend reading the following book on Kingsnakes
