By: Morgan Black INTRODUCTION
What is a snake's favorite subject in school? Hisssssstory of course!!!! Well hello friends! How are we all doing today? I am the Black Mexican King Snake. I know that my name might sound scary and creepy but I'm really nice! If you explore this page you will learn some interesting facts about me. I call the Arizona desert my home just like you, and I make a really great pet! Don't forget to take a look at my pictures and take the test at the end of the page! Then, when you are all finished try my activity with your class or a few friends! Now hurry up and start exploring if you don't, I may just throw a hissssssy-fit!  I am a Black Mexican King Snake! I come from a long bloodline of King Snakes and my relatives are the California King Snakes. Although I look like a mean creepy crawly creature I do make a great house pet! I am not harmful to humans because my fangs do not have venom, instead I have strong muscles that can squeeze and choke my prey until they are ready to be eaten!
 I live in the rocky areas of the desert as well as where there is lush vegetation. I live in the Southwest Desert as well as Western Sonora and North West Sinalora, Mexico. I am an excellent swimmer and need temperatures of between 70 and 85 degrees in order to live my full lifespan which is about 20 to 30 years.
 I am a constrictor who squeezes my prey to death before I eat it. I eat small rodents, lizards, eggs,birds, and other snakes. I go into burrows of small creatures to try to look for my next meal. My hunting is done during the day and even though my eyesight is poor, I can feel movement really well.
 When I am a baby I am about 7-8 inches long. I can grow to about 3 - 4 feet long and weigh about 3 to 4 pounds when I am a full grown adult. My scales are black with a blueish shimmer. When I was a young snake I had yellow and white spots on my body but as I grew older they disappeared.
 In June and July is the time that I like to produce. When my eggs are fertile I lay them down in rodent burrows and wait for them to hatch. I can have 2 to 12 babies every time that I lay eggs.
 I get infections like mouth rot, scale rot and pneumonia easily if I do not have clean conditions and enough heat and light.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ME
www.discoverseaz.com/Wildlife/snakes.html
Discovery- Snakes Habitat Information and Fun Facts.
My Site! That has lots of fun pictures and habitat information.
ACTIVITY Remember that all pets are tough work to take care of! Especially a Black Mexican King Snake!
As a class, brainstorm how you could create a home for your Black Mexican King Snake in the classroom!
How much space would it need?
How much food and water would you need to supply your pet everyday?
What type of weather would your pet need to be comfortable?
Would your pet be OK if you left it in the classroom over the weekends or would the class need to take turns babysitting your snake when there is no school?
What would the class name your pet?
Kindergarteners-
Take a two large pieces of paper and have your teacher help you draw a large outline of a Black Mexican King Snake on both pieces of paper.
Cut your outline.
Color your Snake.
Staple both Snakes together, but only along the sides, leave a few small spaces open so that you can fill your snake with crumpled pieces of paper.
Stuff your snake and when your'e finished staple the small spaces shut.
You will now have your own pet snake!
First Graders-
Make a picture of the habitat that your Black Mexican King Snake would live in.
Then write a story about your Black Mexican King Snake.
What will you name your snake?
How will you take care of your snake?
What do you know now about the Black Mexican King Snake?
Second Graders-
Make a shoe box diorama of a Black Mexican King Snake Habitat.
Then write a story about your Black Mexican King Snake.
What will you name your snake?
How will you take care of your snake?
What do you know now about the Black Mexican King Snake?
WHERE PICTURES AND INFORMATION WERE GATHERED:
Wikipedia: Use of definitions and Habitat may be found here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Black_Kingsnake
Black Mexican King Snake: This site is dedicated to the Black Mexican King Snake, it is an easy read and contains fun facts.
IMAGE CREDITS: These two sites contain images of the Black Mexican King Snake!
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