Bullsnake / Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pituophis, Species: Pituophis catenifer
Common throughout North America, ranging from southwestern Canada through the western and central United States into northern Mexico.
Look up Bullsnake / Gopher Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Non-venomous
Danger Level
Harmless. While they can be defensive and deliver a painful bite if provoked, they lack venom and pose no significant risk to human life.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pituophis, Species: Pituophis catenifer
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN). Generally common, though localized populations face threats from habitat loss and road mortality.
Physical Description
Large, heavy-bodied snake with a base color of yellow, tan, or cream and dark brown or black quadrate blotches. The head is relatively small compared to the body, with a dark line between the eyes and a dark vertical line under the eye. Scales are heavily keeled.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen in the image appears to be a juvenile or sub-adult, roughly 60-90 cm. Adults typically range from 120-180 cm, with some exceeding 240 cm.
Habitat
Highly adaptable, found in prairies, grasslands, deserts, open woodlands, and agricultural areas. They range from sea level up to approximately 2,700 meters, often utilizing burrows.
Behavior & Temperament
Famous for a loud, hissed defensive display involving flattening the head, vibrating the tail (mimicking a rattlesnake), and lunging. They are primarily diurnal or crepuscular.
Diet & Feeding
Active foragers that primarily eat rodents (gophers, mice, rats), but also consume birds, eggs, and occasionally other reptiles. They kill via constriction.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 2 to 24 eggs in the summer, which hatch in late summer or early fall.
Venom Profile
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
Look-alikes
Frequently mistaken for Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) due to similar color patterns and defensive behaviors. They can be distinguished by their round pupils (vs. vertical), lack of a rattle, and lack of heat-sensing pits.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN). Generally common, though localized populations face threats from habitat loss and road mortality.
Cultural Significance
Highly valued by farmers for natural pest control, as they are prolific hunters of crop-destroying rodents.
Notable Features
Possesses a specialized epiglottis that vibrates when air is forced through it, creating an unusually loud and intimidating hiss that sounds similar to a rattlesnake rattle.