| Gray Banded Kingsnakes: |
| Lampropeltis alterna |
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| COLORATION: A very varied specie, with two main phase discriptions. The Blairs Phase has large orange saddles bordered with black then white, with alternating gray ground coloration. The Alterna Phase has narrower black bands bordered by white, sometimes with or without orange inside, on a gray ground color. Gray Bands are sometimes collected by locality. RANGE: Northern mexico, into western Texas NATURAL HABITAT: Chihuahuan Desert region, ranging from desert flats and canyons, into mountainous regions. Natural temperature range is anywhere from 110 degrees during the day, to 60 during the night. Winter temps do get cool enough for snow.Typically found in rocky outcrops and cliff faces. SIZE AND LONGETIVITY: Grey Bands average around 48", with the record being 57.75". Hatchlings can be from 7.5" to 12.5". Gray Bands can live in captivity for about 15 years. With one recorded to live to 19yrs. and 7 months. NATURAL PREY: Mainly lizards, rodents, frogs and snakes. |
| Gray Band phases: |
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| Alterna and Blairs Phase Photo courtesy of Applegate Reptiles |
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| Blair's Phase, Photo thanks to Peace River Herps |
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| Dark Blair's Phase, Photo courtesy of Peace River Herps |
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| Alterna Phase, with orange bands, Photo courtesy of Peace River Herps |
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| Alterna Phase, black banded, Photo courtesy of Peace River Herps |
| More Gray Band Info @ The Alterna Page, Kingsnake and Milksnake Page |
| (Brown 1901)- Once thought to be a subspecie of mexicana, it was given specie status in 1982, in a paper written by William R.Garstka. He based his finding on several aspects that he wrote seperated them from other mexicana. One of the more obvious traits visible is the silverly gray iris of the Grey Banded, where other mexicana have yellowish or brown irises. Another trait sighted, was the head of Gray Bands normally have only dark spotting and are sometimes plain, where the mexicana usually have forked patterns extending down to the nape of the neck. Alterna will also normally have fewer than 30 body blothces, where mexicana tend to have 30 or more. One other less noticable trait is that Gray Bands have 210-232 ventral scales, mexicana only have 190-212. Grey Bands are typically nocturnal snakes. With hatchlings being known as problem feeders in captivity. It's advised to make sure, before purchasing a hatchling, that it's already feeding on pinky mice. |