Pacific Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer catenifer • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pituophis, Species: Pituophis catenifer
Western North America, ranging from British Columbia, Canada, south through Washington, Oregon, and California, and as far east as Idaho and Nevada.
Look up Pacific Gopher Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Non-venomous
Danger Level
Harmless; they may strike and bite defensively if handled roughly, but they pose no serious health risk to humans.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pituophis, Species: Pituophis catenifer
Conservation
IUCN Least Concern. Common throughout its range, though threatened by habitat fragmentation and road mortality.
Physical Description
Straw-colored or yellowish ground color with large, square-shaped dark brown or black blotches along the back. Usually features a dark line across the head between the eyes and a dark stripe from behind the eye to the corner of the mouth. Scales are heavily keeled (ridged). Round pupils.
Size & Dimensions
Specimen in image is roughly 3–4 feet. Species typically ranges from 3 to 7 feet (91–213 cm) in length.
Habitat
Extremely versatile; found in grasslands, chaparral, woodlands, coastal dunes, and agricultural areas. Range from sea level to 2,700 meters elevation. Frequently found in rodent burrows.
Behavior & Temperament
Diurnal in mild weather, crepuscular or nocturnal in high heat. Known for a loud defensive hiss and tail-vibration in dry leaves to mimic a rattlesnake. Generally harmless but very vocal when threatened.
Diet & Feeding
Active forager specializing in rodents, but also consumes birds, eggs, and occasionally lizards. Kills via constriction.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 2 to 24 eggs in mid-summer, which hatch in late summer or autumn.
Venom Profile
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
Look-alikes
Commonly confused with the Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus). Distinguishable by the gopher snake's lack of a rattle, pointed tail, round pupils (vs. vertical), and lack of heat-sensing pits.
Conservation Status
IUCN Least Concern. Common throughout its range, though threatened by habitat fragmentation and road mortality.
Cultural Significance
Highly valued by farmers and gardeners as a form of natural pest control due to their significant consumption of crop-destroying rodents.
Notable Features
Possesses a specialized epiglottis that vibrates when air is forced out of the lungs, allowing the snake to produce an exceptionally loud, intimidating hiss.