Bullsnake / Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pituophis, Species: P. catenifer
Western and central North America, ranging from southwestern Canada down through the western United States into northern Mexico, including Colorado.
Look up Bullsnake / 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, with stable populations across most of its native range, though facing local threats from habitat fragmentation and road mortality.
Physical Description
Features a yellowish, cream, or light tan background coloration overlaid with a series of dark brown, black, or reddish-brown blotches along the back and smaller spots on the flanks. The head is slightly distinct from the neck with dark lines across the face, and scales are strongly keeled.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated specimen length is around 4 feet; typical adults range from 48 to 72 inches (120 to 180 cm), with maximum records exceeding 90 inches.
Habitat
Found in a wide variety of habitats including grasslands, brushlands, agricultural fields, coniferous forests, and semi-desert areas from sea level up to around 9,000 feet.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on small mammals such as mice, rats, gophers, and voles, as well as birds and their eggs. Uses constriction to subdue prey after an active search or ambush.
Reproduction
Oviparous species, females lay clutches typically ranging from 3 to 24 eggs in underground burrows or under debris during summer months.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, with stable populations across most of its native range, though facing local threats from habitat fragmentation and road mortality.
Cultural Significance
Highly beneficial to agriculture and ecosystems due to its exceptional rodent-control capabilities, though frequently misunderstood and persecuted due to its superficial resemblance to rattlesnakes.
Notable Features
Renowned for its dramatic displays, which include inflating its lungs, producing a loud hissing sound by means of an epiglottal flap, and vibrating its tail rapidly to mimic a rattlesnake.
Notes
Colorado golf course