Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted this in the "what kind snake forum" and was told it was a mexicana king. If this is the case is there subspecies of this snake. If so does anyone know what it is? I know Gray bands can be catagorized by locality is this the same with these? Thanks, Tom Magers

That is a very nice example of Lampropeltis mexicana mexicana, AKA "mex-mex" or San Luis Potosi Kingsnake. It is part of a complex of related kingsnakes (the Mexicana Group) that presently includes the Variable or Nuevo Leon King (L. m. thayeri), the Durango Mtn King (L. m. greeri), the Queretaro King (L. ruthveni), and the Gray-banded King (L. alterna).

Cheers,

Bob Hansen

It was given to me from a 13 yr. old boy, he said he got it from a pet store about two yrs. ago as a King Banded Snake..

Definitely a Lampropeltis mexicana mexicana and a very nice one at that. Do you know the sex of the snake? If I were to take a guess I would say it is a male just by coloration (just an observation not exact science). I take it that the snake is of adult size??
Great snake!
John Lassiter
Here are examples of dark phase and light phase...yours is somewhere in between these to in ground coloration.

Thankyou. You are right, it is a male and an adult. I don't really know much about these kings, but is it worth buying a female and breeding? What is the average going rate on babies? Thanks, Tom

Drop me an email Tom.

I think they are very worth the effort to breed.
Check out the Mexicana subforum. You can see there variability along with the variability of all the Mexicana complex snakes.
John Lassiter
Here is another pic I have to share....

Its a grey banded king

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It is Mexicana Mexicana. Thanks for all the replies. Tom