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I can't seem to figure just what it is that enables kingsnakes to eat other snakes. Effectively, as a 'titan' vs. a 'titan' the one that wins must have an advantage of some sort. As far as I can see a kingsnake is quite a simple model of a snake. If I was one that didn't know any better I would put my money on a rattler, for example, simply because it is poisonous and therefore has some logical advantage (or at least, that's how it would seem if I didn't know any better...).

So just what is it about kingsnakes? Do they have larger lungs than other snakes? Bigger teeth? Longer endurance, perhaps by means of some increased metabolic capacities? I just don't get it. I look at my kingsnake and I just can't imagine what it is about her that enables her to be the supreme hunter that she is capable of being.

Any insights on this one?

- Mark

Most likely it has to do with muscle grouping, and I believe that lampropeltis is immune to are native venomous snakes, but I'm am no herpetologist, so I'm sure Keith, John, or some others that arte much more knowledgeable than I on this forum can give you some real good reasons.-Smokey

First off Kingsnakes are resistant to Viper venom. Some kings more than others with Getula being the most resistant. Secondly they are very powerful constrictors and thats proven out to be a very efficient way of dispatching prey. Rattlers and Copperheads and other vipers only really have venom for defence and hunting. Usually when a viper is approached by a King they will only try and escape and not bite at all as they know they are in danger. Kings also eat other types of snake and anything else it can overpower as they are more opportunistic than specific feeders. They will eat lizards, mice turtle eggs frogs etc...

Keith
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i have personally witnessed a desert king l.g.splendida consume a tx.coral snake w/no ill side effects whatsoever,so its not only pit vipers,,,,,,,,,thomas davis
T&S reptile farm

Did the Coral bite the King ? If it ingests a venomous snake its not the same as venom being delivered into the bloodstream . Stomache acids etc... would destroy the venom. The study I read suggested that they are not immune to Elapid venoms. Also oddly enopugh not all Kings enjoyed the same ressitance to venoms. Florida and Eastern Kings showed the highest immunity which is odd when Cal Kings are surrounded with many more different Vipers than the Eastern forms.

Keith
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No the coral didnt bite the king that i saw,it simply tried to escape,frantically and failed.the coral certainly had the opportunity to bite while the intial attack occured,but as ALL snakes in that predictament simply wanted to escape, of all of the times i have witnessed kings consuming venomous snakes i have never seen a venomous snake bite in defense of a king attacking im sure it happens though all the ones ive seen simply try and flee and when caught simply kinda go into the"whataworld,whataworld,thang, ,but the king in question was fine and lived happily for many years after,,on another note i fed a stubborn baby speckking a ringneck once and it was dead the nextday,from what i understand they(ringnecks) are toxic ,,,anyhooo,,,,,,,thomas

Part of the problem you are having seems to be based on the supposition that kingsnakes eat other snakes and that other species don't. Many species of snakes can and do eat other snakes with some frequency.

There are some snakes which are even more specialized snake eaters than kingsnakes. For example (a few off the top of my head)...
Coralsnakes
some of the Cobras
Mussuranas
African File Snakes
African Coralsnakes (Elapsoidea)
Short-tailed Snakes (Stilosoma)
etc.

and then there are the snakes (like kingsnakes) which will regularly consume snakes, although they will also eat other things, such as...
Indigos/Cribos
Asian Ratsnakes (Ptyas)
Black-headed Pythons
Coachwhips
Racers
Ringneck Snakes
etc.,

So kingsnakes aren't really that unusual in their feeding habits, they just get all the press because they are called "king"snakes.

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Chris Harrison