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Individual variations within the species could be very special, and California king snake variety makes a perfect illustration of such cases. Thus, the appearance variability decreases the chances for the California king snake to be identified correctly when lacking complete knowledge about the possible variations. Thus, some snakes could be dark-brown ground color with a yellow line in the mid of the central body area, while other California king snake subspecies could be dark brown but white or yellow-ringed, with the lighter colors arranged in a vertical body pattern. A more clear description can be made when analyzing the size of the snake: it can be up to 70 inches long, with a two or three inch split tail.

California King Snake

California king snake varieties do not stand apart from other snake sub-categories in anatomy of the halved jaws joint by elastic tissue only. Without this anatomical advantage, the snake couldn't swallow a prey that is usually larger than the predator's diameter. When it comes to behavior traits, California king snake prefers hidden corners in solitary natural environment where the possibility to encounter larger predators remains reduced. Its diet consists of rodents, small birds, lizards and frogs. The only period when California king snake is found in the company of other serpents is winter when these creatures hibernate together in large numbers.

California King Snake

California king snake specimens have the reputation of eating each other or feeding even on poisonous snakes. This is a non-poisonous species that loops around, constricts and then squeezes the prey until it suffocates it. As for the consume of venomous snakes, people used to think that snakes are generally immune to venom, now discoveries indicate not immunity but superior body tolerance to venom exposure. Biting could be a problem for the encounter of a California king snake and a human, but the snake will only strike if if feels endangered.

California King Snake

Some of the California king snake's disadvantages like bad eyesight and a poor ability to focus could be mentioned among other things; these small problems are due to the anatomical position of the snake's eyes on the sides of the head. If the prey is smart enough to stay still in the presence of this California king snake, it gets more chances to survive the encounter. The snake relies on identifying the prey in motion in order to be able to hunt it but it is worth saying that California king snake has a superior sense of hearing as it can recognize low frequency sounds and various vibrations. Hunting is no longer such a problem under the circumstances.