speckled kingsnake

March 2013

Speckled Kingsnake- Lapropeltis Getula Holbrooki

1.) Why did you choose this reptile?
I chose this reptile because when I looked up the picture it amazed me of how beautiful it is. Besides snakes interested me anyway because I know there are many types of them. Knowing all about snakes will make me feel powerful and cool.

2.) What did you like about this article?
Something that I liked about this article was that there is a lot of information about this specific snake. It gave me the exact information I needed and it still went beyond that.

3.) What did you learn from the article?
I learned from the article that the speckled kingsnake is listed as a threatend species in the state of Iowa. Also, I did not know where they preferred to live in. While doing some reading in this article I came across that they like to live in wet areas; as well as forested areas.

4.) What questions do you still have even after reading this article?

• Is just anyone allowed to hunt these snakes and sell them?
• How many of these snakes still exist?

     a.) Would you want to purchase one? Why or Why not?
I would not want to purchase this snake because it is known for being very aggressive. Whe it's feeding time, they tend to be frightend and that's when they try to defend themselves. Unless you know exactly how to handle this species then I don't see why you shouldn't purchase one.

     b.) What is the current market price(s)?
$35-72 each speckled kingsnake

     c.) Where can they be purchased?
www.bigappleherp.com
It's a pet supply located in Hauppauge, New York

     d.) Are there any color morphs of this animal? If so how many?
yes, there are approximately 16  color morphs of the speckled kingsnake

     e.) What are the costs of the morphs?
  $40-100 The adults are always at the range of $100

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Below is a picture of an albino speckled kingsnake which is the morph of the original speckled kingsnake

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     f.) Are they endangered in the wild?
Speckled kingsnakes are found in Iowa but are still rarely found in any parts. Because they are always captive bred and also kept as pets. There still are road kills but not as many.

     g.) Do you need a permit to purchase or keep them?
No, you do not need a permit to keep or purchase this snake. Most snakes are sold online and in pet stores. All you need is to know exactly how to care for this snake.

     h.) Is there any controversy surrounding these animals being kept in captivity?
No, there is no controversy surrounding these animals being kept in captivity. I think the reason this is because they rather have them kept and cared for than speckled king snakes becoming extinct.

5.) What are the care requirements for this animal?
These snakes should be cooled down to 50 to 65F for 8 to 12 weeks. Should not be fed for 14 days prior to this cool down period. Temperature should be lowered over 10 days. Snakes feed on lizards, rodents, and snakes (even the venomous snakes).

6.) Is this animal considered a beginner, intermediate, or expert level animal to keep?
This snake would be intermediate because they are commonly captive bred. Such as keeping them in zoo's where humans can control their environment. But they need to be cared for very well.

7.) What is the most interesting thing(s) about this animal to you?
The most interesting thing about this animal is that this snake is also known as the "salt and pepper" snake. I can tell why it's named that because of the scale pattern (all black with creamy yellow).  I also didn't know that these snakes eat venomous snakes. Now, I'm no expert on snakes but I thought that could kill them.