The Limelight collection
Arizona Mountain Kingsnake
Lampropeltis pyromelana
Pyro kingsnake · Arizona mountain king
The Pyro: bright red, black and pale bands, a light snout and a striking mountain-kingsnake profile. Its beauty is matched by a preference for secure, sheltered surroundings.
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- Adult size
- Often about 60–90 cm; locality and individual variation occur
- Origin
- Mountain regions of Nevada, Utah, Arizona and southwestern New Mexico
- Housing
- One snake per enclosure
Beyond the pattern
In the wild. In your collection.
Kingsnake.com records surface activity from spring into autumn in Arizona, sometimes after summer rain. Activity can occur at different times of day depending on weather, so “always nocturnal” is too simple a description.
A pale snout and repeating tricolour pattern are useful visual features. Band counts and proportions vary geographically. A captive animal’s locality and genetics should be documented rather than inferred from colour alone.
From the Kingsnake.com archive
The historical Arizona profile describes red, black and white or yellow bands and notes that field activity shifts with conditions. Its broader pyromelana group also includes names now separated taxonomically, so our map uses the active species taxon.
Read the historical species profile ↗
Practical husbandry
A care sheet to keep close.
Set up and measure the enclosure before your snake comes home. These starting ranges are for routine maintenance; follow the individual animal’s breeder guidance and monitor its condition.
- Warm area
- 26–28°C (79–82°F) as a starting warm area
- Cool retreat
- 21–24°C (70–75°F)
- Humidity
- Moderate ambient humidity plus a moist retreat
Housing
House singly. Use a secure enclosure long enough for the adult to stretch out, with room to explore and climb. Scale up as it grows.
Cover & substrate
Provide snug warm and cool hides, stable branches and burrowing substrate. Avoid aromatic cedar or pine bedding.
Heating
Control every heater with a thermostat. Measure both ends with digital thermometers; guard bulbs and avoid heat rocks.
Water & shedding
Provide clean water and a humid hide with moist, not saturated, material. Maintain ventilation and keep most substrate dry.
Feeding
Offer appropriately sized frozen/thawed rodents. Follow the animal’s established schedule; adjust with growth and body condition.
Handling
Let a new animal settle and feed reliably. Support its body gently and leave it undisturbed for 48 hours after meals.
Routine
Spot-clean waste promptly. Record meals, sheds and weight. Persistent feeding refusal, weight loss or breathing changes need a reptile veterinarian.
Light & season
Provide a consistent day/night cycle and shaded retreats. If using UVB, match output and distance to the animal. Brumation is not required for a pet.
Field observations
Where people have recorded them.
Explore public, research-grade, wild observations on iNaturalist. Coloured cells show recorded sightings—not a complete range boundary or a measure of abundance.
Loading observation map… Open the iNaturalist map ↗
A common question.
Does the bright pattern mean this snake is venomous?+
No. Arizona mountain kingsnakes are nonvenomous. Colour alone is not a safe way to identify an unfamiliar wild snake.
Read further
Sources & context.
- Kingsnake.com — historical species profile
- Petra Spiess — Captive Care of Kingsnakes and Milksnakes
- RSPCA — enclosure, environmental control and care
- iNaturalist — Lampropeltis pyromelana
- The Reptile Database — nomenclature and distribution
Reviewed 13 October 2026. Historical keeper accounts are paraphrased and linked; older scientific names are retained only as context. Photos are from the Limelight collection. Observation tiles are supplied live by iNaturalist; basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors.
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