Gopher Snake

🔤 Taxonomy

Pituophis catenifer is the accepted name for the gopher snake group, including animals sold as gopher snakes and bullsnakes. Older literature and trade labels may use Pituophis melanoleucus catenifer or locality-based subspecies names.

Common names used in the hobby:

Gopher snake
Bullsnake
Pacific gophersnake

📌 Description

Gopher snakes are large, active, powerful North American colubrids. They are non-venomous, but they can hiss loudly, flatten the head, vibrate the tail, musk, and strike when restrained. This defensive display is normal and should not be punished with repeated handling.

Adults commonly need more space than many first-time keepers expect. Plan for 120-220 cm of snake, strong feeding response, burrowing behavior, and a long lifespan of 15-30 years.

📋 Quick reference

Care point	Practical target
Adult size and lifespan	120-220 cm; often 15-30 years
Adult enclosure	At least 180 x 60 x 60 cm, locked and escape-proof
Heat	Basking surface 31-33°C; ambient 24-28°C; cool retreat 21-24°C
Humidity	30-50%, with 55-65% local shed support
UVB	Optional but recommended low-output UVB with shade
Feeding	Frozen-thawed rodents every 7-14 days
Handling	Calm, short sessions after acclimation
Quarantine	60-90 days; check mites, feces, feeding, weight, and mouth condition

🌍 Distribution

The species ranges widely from southwestern Canada through much of the western and central United States into northern Mexico, with many regional forms. It uses grassland, prairie, open woodland, chaparral, desert edges, agricultural land, and burrows.

Captive care should emphasize floor space, secure hides, dry substrate, and a real thermal gradient. This snake often feels safer when it can disappear underground or under tight cover.

⚖️ Legal status

No current CITES listing, EU Wildlife Trade Annex listing, or Bern Convention listing was found for Pituophis catenifer in the official sources checked on 2026-09-02. Local rules still matter because native-wildlife, import, sale, and transport laws can apply, especially in North America and for locality forms.

Buy captive-bred animals where possible and keep invoices, breeder details, feeding records, and locality information. Do not collect, move, breed, sell, or release animals without checking local law.

🤌 Husbandry

Use a strong terrestrial vivarium with lockable sliding doors or a clamped lid. Block cable holes and probe gaps. A heavy snake can push weak lids, vents, and loose decor.

Provide at least two tight hides, deep enough substrate for burrowing, and clutter across the open space. House singly. Pairing is for supervised breeding only, after quarantine and body-condition checks.

💡 Lighting

Use a 10-12 hour photoperiod. Low-output UVB is recommended but not mandatory when the snake eats whole vertebrate prey. Give shaded hides and cover so the animal can self-select exposure.

🌡 Heating and temperature

basking surface: 31-33°C
ambient air: 24-28°C
cool retreat: 21-24°C
night: 16-22°C

Use a thermostat and measure both basking surface and cool hide temperatures. Avoid hot rocks and avoid heating the whole enclosure evenly.

Seasonal cooling or brumation is for healthy adult breeding projects only, typically around 6-12°C with careful preparation. Do not cool juveniles, thin animals, new arrivals, or snakes with unresolved health signs.

💧 Humidity and water

Keep normal humidity around 30-50%. Add a humid hide or temporary 55-65% shed support rather than making the whole enclosure damp.

Provide a clean water bowl large enough for drinking and occasional soaking. Persistent soaking can signal mites, overheating, dehydration, or stress.

🌿 Enclosure and decoration

Use 10-15 cm of aspen, lignocel, cypress mulch, soil-sand-clay mix, or another dry burrowing substrate. Add cork, flat rocks fixed securely, sturdy branches, tubes, and visual barriers.

Avoid dusty bedding, cedar and pine shavings, wet moldy substrate, unstable stacked rocks, and decor that creates pinch points.

🪳 Feeding

Feed frozen-thawed rodents sized around the snake’s widest body section. Juveniles may eat every 5-7 days; most adults do better every 10-14 days, adjusted to body condition.

Use tongs and separate handling from feeding cues. Routine supplements are not needed with whole prey. Regurgitation usually means prey size, handling after feeding, stress, or temperatures need review.

🩺 Common problems

Common problems include escape, nose rubbing, obesity, retained shed, mites, defensive biting from rough handling, mouth injury, respiratory signs from cold damp housing, and regurgitation after overlarge meals.

Seek a reptile-experienced veterinarian for repeated regurgitation, wheezing, mouth swelling, persistent refusal with weight loss, or injuries from escape attempts.

📌 Conclusion

Gopher snakes suit keepers who want an active, visible, hardy snake and can provide adult space, locks, burrowing substrate, and calm handling. The most common failures are undersized enclosures, loose lids, overfeeding, and treating defensive behavior as aggression.