Offspring created by crossing different species together are known as hybrids. The CA kingsnake is probably the most used colubrid snake to create hybrids. Hybrid offspring are already variable as it is, but adding the various pattern traits from CA kingsnakes just adds to that variability. Ca kingsnakes are most often crossed with Corn snakes and a few different types of Milk snakes. This often results in stunning offspring. Some offspring may look like the perfect cross between two species, while others may resemble one species more than the other. Some offspring can resemble one species to the point it’s impossible to tell the difference. That can lead to those particular examples being misrepresented as the species they most look like down the line. Many purists are against the creation of hybrids for that very reason. This often leads to great debates between purists and those that support captive created hybrids on internet forums and social media sites. Because of hybridization in captivity, some morphs of other species crossed with CA kingsnakes are suspected of being caused by hybridization.
Different species don’t normally breed readily in captivity on their own. Breeders have developed methods on getting them to breed. These methods might vary from one breeder to the next, but they generally follow the same rules. Breeder Clayton Carlile has been very successful with the hybridization of CA kingsnakes and other various species. He has passed down a recipe on getting Cal kings to breed with other similar species. Here is what he shared:
So for the Hybrids with kingsnakes I always usually avoid using a male kingsnake to do the cross, because a lot of the time they like to bite the back of the head when breeding. And if this occurs with a Cornsnake, Milksnake or Ratsnake they usually freak out and don't want anything to do with copulation after that. So once you have a male species of the snake you want to cross with a female kingsnake, it's best to have also a female species that is the same as the male. First you want to put the two snakes of the same species together and let the male try to copulate with the female of the same species. Once he is getting close to making it happen I put the the female kingsnake in the same enclosure and attempt to place the male snake onto the back of the female kingsnake. Usually it will take a few or even numerous tries of switching back and forth between the two females before copulation occurs. Of course it's best to make sure your female king is well fed before this is attempted too haha. And I always keep and eye on them while this goes on. You want to be sure to be able to separate them once the male is done because even if she isn't hungry she can decide she doesn't like the way the other snake smells and decide to choke them out.
Different species don’t normally breed readily in captivity on their own. Breeders have developed methods on getting them to breed. These methods might vary from one breeder to the next, but they generally follow the same rules. Breeder Clayton Carlile has been very successful with the hybridization of CA kingsnakes and other various species. He has passed down a recipe on getting Cal kings to breed with other similar species. Here is what he shared:
So for the Hybrids with kingsnakes I always usually avoid using a male kingsnake to do the cross, because a lot of the time they like to bite the back of the head when breeding. And if this occurs with a Cornsnake, Milksnake or Ratsnake they usually freak out and don't want anything to do with copulation after that. So once you have a male species of the snake you want to cross with a female kingsnake, it's best to have also a female species that is the same as the male. First you want to put the two snakes of the same species together and let the male try to copulate with the female of the same species. Once he is getting close to making it happen I put the the female kingsnake in the same enclosure and attempt to place the male snake onto the back of the female kingsnake. Usually it will take a few or even numerous tries of switching back and forth between the two females before copulation occurs. Of course it's best to make sure your female king is well fed before this is attempted too haha. And I always keep and eye on them while this goes on. You want to be sure to be able to separate them once the male is done because even if she isn't hungry she can decide she doesn't like the way the other snake smells and decide to choke them out.
A Jungle Corn, which is a cross between a Cal king and a Corn snake. They are
highly variable and this one looks more like a banana Cal king.
highly variable and this one looks more like a banana Cal king.
Jungle Corn
Jungle Corn
Jungle Corn
Bloodred Jungle Corn
Lavender Jungle Corn
Lavender Jungle Corn
Hypomelanistic Jungle Corn
Hypo Jungle Corn
Hypo Jungle Corn
Ultramel Jungle Corn
Ultramel Jungle Corn
Ultramel Jungle Corn
Albino Jungle Corn
Albino Jungle Corn
Albino Jungle Corn
Albino Jungle Corn
Albino Jungle Corn
This is an Imperial Pueblan, which is a Cal king crossed with a Pueblan Milk
snake. This individual is 75% Pueblan Milk and 25% Banana Cal king.
snake. This individual is 75% Pueblan Milk and 25% Banana Cal king.
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan. 75% Pueblan Milk and 25% Banana Cal king.
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan
Hypo Imperial Pueblan
Hypo Imperial Pueblan
Hypo Imperial Pueblan
Hypo Imperial Pueblan
Albino Imperial Pueblan
Albino Imperial Pueblan
Albino Imperial Pueblan
Imperial Pueblan X Honduran
Imperial Pueblan X Honduran
Imperial Pueblan X Honduran
Imperial Pueblan X Honduran
Imperial Pueblan X Honduran
Imperial Pueblan X Honduran
Hypo Imperial Pueblan X Honduran
Thayeri X Cal king X Pueblan X Corn
Thayeri X Cal king X Pueblan X Corn
Thayeri X Cal king X Pueblan X Corn
Thayeri X Cal king X Pueblan X Corn
Thayeri X Cal king X Pueblan X Corn
Whitesided Black rat X Cal king.
Albino whitesided albino Black rat X Cal king
Next two photos are of a king Chris found in a pet shop labeled a white sided
Cal king. The owner assured him it was a pure Cal king, but wouldn't say where
it came from. I think its a hybrid that looks like a Cal king. This may be an ex-
ample of misrepresentation, which is the downside of hybrids.
Cal king. The owner assured him it was a pure Cal king, but wouldn't say where
it came from. I think its a hybrid that looks like a Cal king. This may be an ex-
ample of misrepresentation, which is the downside of hybrids.
A wild caught Cal king X gopher snake hybrid found in Northern Arizona. North
of Scottsdale near Pinical Peak.
of Scottsdale near Pinical Peak.
A wild caught Cal king X Pacific Gopher snake found in Northern CA.
Cal king X Pacific gopher snake
Jungle Tharacorn 50% cal-king 25% corn 25% thayeri. Ryan said: I bred a
tharacorn het corn amel (thayeri x corn) to an albino cal-king. That breeding
produced some wild looking stuff. The thayeri influence really seems to
brighten the colors up.
tharacorn het corn amel (thayeri x corn) to an albino cal-king. That breeding
produced some wild looking stuff. The thayeri influence really seems to
brighten the colors up.
Vari-Cal 50% cal-king 50% thayeri.
Vari-Cal 50% cal-king 50% thayeri.
Palomar ghost X MBK hybrids
Cal king X Florida king crosses
Cal king x Brooks (Fl king)
An unknown hybrid, but definitely a Cal king cross.
These next two are siblings and were acquired from Scott Powley as 3rd
generation hybrids. 62.5% Honduran milk and 37.5% Cal king.
generation hybrids. 62.5% Honduran milk and 37.5% Cal king.