Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pituophis, Species: P. catenifer
Widely distributed throughout North America, ranging from western Canada down through the western and central United States into Mexico.
Look up Gopher Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pituophis, Species: P. catenifer
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, though localized populations face threats from habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and intentional persecution.
Physical Description
Slender to moderately robust body with a distinct pattern of dark blotches (brown, black, or reddish-brown) over a lighter background of tan, cream, or gray. The head is slightly distinct from the neck with keeled dorsal scales and a tapered snout.
Size & Dimensions
This specimen appears to be an adult or sub-adult around 3 to 4 feet in length. The typical size range for the species is 48 to 72 inches, with maximum records reaching up to 90 inches.
Habitat
Found in a broad range of habitats including deserts, prairies, scrublands, brushlands, agricultural fields, and open woodlands, typically from sea level up to around 9,000 feet.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on small mammals such as rodents, gophers, mice, as well as birds, bird eggs, and occasionally lizards. Utilizes constriction to subdue prey and is an active forager.
Reproduction
Oviparous species, females typically lay clutches ranging from 2 to 24 eggs during the summer months, often in underground burrows or beneath decaying logs and rocks.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with rattlesnakes due to its similar coloration, pattern, and defensive behavior of vibrating its tail against dry leaves to produce a buzzing sound; however, it lacks rattles and has a round pupil.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, though localized populations face threats from habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and intentional persecution.
Cultural Significance
Highly beneficial to agriculture and human settlements due to its efficiency in controlling rodent populations, though it is frequently misunderstood and killed out of fear of resembling rattlesnakes.
Notable Features
Known for a dramatic defensive display that includes hissing loudly, flattening its head to mimic a venomous snake, and vibrating its tail rapidly to produce a rattling sound.