The super cool but seldom seen mole kingsnake

Hello, my name is Claire, and I am part of the Herpetology Team at Zoo Atlanta. I am lucky enough to get to take care of a very cool, seldom seen snake that is native to Georgia called the mole kingsnake (Lampropeltis rhombomaculata). It is also called the northern mole kingsnake, the blotched kingsnake, or the brown kingsnake. These are fossorial (lives underground), moderately long snakes reaching around 30 to 40 inches in length, but with thin bodies that make them look like they have no neck! These guys can be a variety of colors from brown to tan to dark red with blotches of reddish-brown color on their backs. They are often confused with corn snakes (Elaphe guttata), a species that we also have here at the Zoo as an animal ambassador.

These snakes are super helpful to humans because of what they eat. Their diet consists of rodents, lizards and small snakes, including juvenile venomous snakes! The mole kingsnake is a constrictor that is harmless to humans and should be left alone to help control rodent and reptile populations. These guys can be found across northern and central Georgia and use their coloration to blend into the leaf litter and soil on the forest floor, in fields and pastures.

You can find our mole kingsnake inside Georgia eXtremes, where he loves to chill out on the ground or climb the wall to soak up some heat. As this is a Georgia native snake, we like to make sure he gets to experience the lovely seasons of the South. As such, during the winter he may not be visible as he likes to burrow down into the leaf litter. He goes through a period of brumation every year, which is like the reptile version of hibernation. As his temperature cools down in the fall, he eats less and less until he stops for the winter. His metabolism slows down to the point where even without eating he doesn’t lose weight! Don’t worry, though, when spring hits and the warmer weather arrives, he is right back to being hungry again! I recommend coming to see him this spring and summer while he is most active!

Claire T.
Keeper II, Herpetology