RANGE | Kingsnakes range from coast to coast and north to south in all 48 contiguous United States. The California kingsnake is one of many subspecies of the common kingsnake and can be found in Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, southwestern Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico. The CA kingsnake lives in a wide variety of habitats, including woodland chaparral, grassland, deserts, marshes, and even suburban areas.

FUN FACTS | These constrictors hunt for small prey, like mice and other small rodents, as well as lizards, birds, eggs, and even other snakes. They are not venomous but, instead, use their powerful muscles to cut off the blood supply or oxygen by squeezing tightly. They can be diurnal, nocturnal or crespuscular, depending on location and season. Unlike human jaws, where only the bottom jaw moves, both the upper and lower jaw move in snakes. Their jaw bones and skull are connected by muscles, tendons and ligaments to allow significant mobility so snakes can swallow large prey whole, despite having multiple sets and kinds of teeth.

The California kingsnakes got their name because they are immune to the venom of rattlesnakes. Once scientists fully understand exactly how this is possible, they can potentially create a vaccine or pill for people. That means that some day, one of us might owe our life to a CA kingsnake!

Beetlejuice was originally someone’s pet. When a member of our team discovered that he was living in a plastic drawer with no heat or light, they attempted to coach his owner about reptile care. The person decided it was more work than they were prepared to give, and asked if we would take him.

Beetlejuice is such an explorer! He loves to inspect any new surface, furniture, or toy. If we add something to this habitat he is right there, investigating all of the different ways to interpret this new item.

For reptiles, it is all about texture. Beetlejuice loves to crawl over stuffed and plastic toys, especially appreciating items with openings that he can travel through or crawl in and under. He also really enjoys different toddler learning toys since they often have different shapes and textures on blocks, beads and balls that move on plastic coated wires or frames that make it even more interesting and challenging.