Description
- Common Name: Mexican Black Kingsnake
- Scientific Name: Lampropeltis getula nigrita
- Locality/Morph: Wild type
- Sex: Unknown, can check if desired.
- Age: 2026
- Source: Captive bred
- Native Range: Northwestern Mexico, primarily Sonora and Sinaloa
- Natural Habitat: Semi-arid scrubland, desert edges, rocky terrain, and agricultural areas
- Diet: Carnivorous – rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and other snakes
- Basking Temperature: 30–32°C hotspot
- Ambient Temperature: 24–28°C (night drop to ~20°C)
- Average Adult Size: 90–120 cm
The Mexican Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigrita) is a striking, jet-black colubrid renowned for its glossy, uniform colouration and hardiness in captivity. Belonging to the kingsnake group, it shares the family’s reputation as a powerful constrictor and opportunistic feeder, even consuming other snakes, including venomous species, thanks to its natural resistance to snake venom.
In the wild, they inhabit arid and semi-arid regions of northwestern Mexico, adapting well to scrub, rocky areas, and even agricultural habitats. Their diet is highly varied, consisting of rodents, lizards, birds, amphibians, and snakes, making them one of nature’s most versatile predators.
In captivity, Mexican Black Kingsnakes are hardy, generally docile, and relatively easy to care for. They thrive in secure terrestrial enclosures with a hotspot of 30–32°C and an ambient gradient of 24–28°C. A hide on both the warm and cool sides should be provided, as well as access to fresh water. Humidity should be moderate (40–60%), with slightly higher levels during shedding.
They feed readily on appropriately sized rodents in captivity. Care should be taken not to overfeed, as kingsnakes are prone to obesity when given too much food.
Mexican Black Kingsnakes can live up to 20 years in captivity. Their sleek black appearance, manageable size, and ease of care make them one of the most popular kingsnake subspecies in herpetoculture.
Livestock Delivery:
Livestock is delivered in our own heated reptile courier vans. Delivery time from ordering will depend on your location and when we next have a van in your area, this will usually be a maximum of 2 weeks. You will receive a date and time slot by phone or email, so please ensure you enter these correctly at checkout. Delivery fee for livestock depends on location, prices start at £45. Livestock orders over £500 (+VAT) are delivered free of charge.
Livestock Sale Terms:
If multiple animals are in stock then not all will be pictured, so the photo above may not be exact animal available.
All prices are per individual unless otherwise stated. All livestock is subject to availability, whilst we try to keep the website as up to date as possible errors may happen, in this situation you will be contacted to arrange a refund/alternative.
Errors can happen with sexing and morph identification. Should this be discovered before leaving us you are entitled to a refund. After the animal leaves us it is the customers responsibility to inform us within 48 hours of the animals arrival. Failing to do so may lose the customers eligibility for a refund.
It is the customers responsibility to have the correct setup available and ready for the animal, if you need any advice please do get in touch. We have the right to request proof of setup at any time, failure to provide an image of an appropriate setup or any image at all, may result in a full order cancellation and refund.
Guarantee for all inverts & amphibians is 24 hours. All other livestock is 48 hours. If issues/concerns are notified upon delivery, then this may be extended. All health related queries will be subject to a full investigation should an issue arise. Failing to provide us with the information we request may void any form of guarantee. If we find reason from the information that its injury or death was caused by negligence or incorrect husbandry then the guarantee may be void. Should death or abnormalities occur then you must inform us as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that an animal passes away please photograph the dead body and freeze until you have heard from us. If death or illness occurs after 7 days, and no health issues were reported, then Ridgeway will not be held responsible.
We have the right to refuse any sale, refund or guarantee at any time if we feel it is necessary.
Livestock sales are for customers aged 18+, if under this age you must have prior parent permission. If we have any reason to suspect this is not the case we will contact you before the animal is released.
When purchasing an animal from us you automatically agree to these terms of sale.
