Nuevo Leon kingsnakes, also known colloquially as variable king snakes because of their wide variety of colors and patterns, are one of the smaller king snake species. This species, Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri or more recently Lampropeltis leonis, is found primarily in the mountainous regions of northern Mexico. Like all kingsnakes, these are so named because of their propensity to eat other snakes, so many keepers in captivity have them as a sort of "garbage disposal" for other reptiles that don't make it. They readily adapt to a rodent diet but will also happily take lizards and other snakes offered, in addition occasionally to birds.

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In captivity, we've found variable kingsnakes to be willing eaters as well as easily handleable snakes. They're not at all likely to strike or lash out, and are generally content to be picked up and handled - they just like to move around, so generally don't sit completely still while being handled. Variable kingsnakes have an incredibly wide range of phenotypes, and they can look like other species of kingsnakes, milk snakes, they can be melanistic, and more. ​​