Due to ease of care and a wide range of color variations, the California kingsnake is one of the most popular snakes in captivity.

[6] California kingsnakes stripes and bands are essential to their survival as the patterns camouflage the snakes body to hide from predators.

This species lives in a wide variety of habitats, including woodland chaparral, grassland, deserts, marshes, and even suburban areas.

[5][11] When disturbed, California kingsnakes will often coil their bodies into a ball[12] to hide their heads, hiss, and rattle their tails, which can produce a sound somewhat resembling that of a rattlesnake.

[13] They are considered harmless to humans, but if handled it is common for this species to bite, as well as excrete musk and fecal contents from their cloaca.

[16] California kingsnakes are opportunistic feeders and common food items include rodents, birds, other reptiles and amphibians.

[2] California kingsnakes are non-venomous and kill prey by constriction; they are the strongest constrictors proportionate to body size of any snakes.

[18] The California kingsnake is an oviparous internal fertilization animal, meaning it lays eggs, as opposed to giving live birth like some other snakes.

[19] The California kingsnake is one of the most popular pet reptiles due to its ease of care, attractive appearance and docile demeanor.

[23]A two-headed California kingsnake raised to the age of seventeen at the Arizona State University reptile collection has gained some notoriety as a rare example of serpentine polycephaly.