Gopher Snake

Overview

The gopher snake is one of North America's most widespread snakes. It is a large, heavy-bodied, nonvenomous constrictor that eats mainly rodents ¹². Adults commonly measure 4 to 6 feet ¹³. The Los Angeles Zoo gives 4 to 8 feet ², and reports of up to 9 feet exist ¹³. The species includes several subspecies, among them the Pacific and San Diego gopher snakes and the bullsnake ²⁴. The Sacramento Zoo counts eight ⁴.

Gopher snakes average about 15 years in the wild but can live more than 30 years in human care ², so plan for a long commitment.

A note on our sources. We found no veterinary care sheet specific to gopher snakes. The natural history below comes from zoos and museums ¹²³⁴, and the husbandry numbers come from VCA's general guidance for pet snakes ⁵⁶. Treat them as a starting point and confirm them with a reptile vet.

Natural history

Gopher snakes range from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast, north into southern Canada and south to Veracruz, Sinaloa and Baja California in Mexico ¹. They are habitat generalists, living in deserts, prairies, woodlands, brushland, coniferous forest and farmland, from below sea level to over 9,000 feet ¹. They are active mainly by day, but turn nocturnal in extreme summer heat ¹⁴, and hibernate underground in winter, sometimes in communal dens ⁴.

Gopher snakes spend up to 90% of their time in burrows ²³. They hunt there and in trees, and climb and swim well ²⁴. Prey includes gophers, moles, rats, mice, young rabbits, birds and eggs, lizards and occasionally other snakes ²³. They kill by constriction ²³.

Their defense is a convincing rattlesnake act. They rise up, flatten the head into a triangle, hiss loudly and vibrate the tail in dry leaves to make a rattling sound ¹²⁴. You can tell them apart from rattlesnakes by the tapered tail with no rattle, the lack of facial pits and the round pupils ¹³. Sadly, many gopher snakes are killed by people who mistake them for rattlers ⁴.

Enclosure

• Size. Give the largest cage you can ⁵. Juveniles of smaller species do well in 10- to 20-gallon tanks, but adult gopher snakes are big and active and need a long enclosure ²⁵.
• Security. It must be well ventilated, with sealed seams and a top that locks ⁵.
• Hides. Provide secure hides, plus sturdy branches for this good climber ⁴⁵.
• Water. A heavy, non-tip water bowl. Clean and disinfect it every one to three days ⁵.

Temperature & lighting

Set up a heat gradient so the snake can choose where to sit, with a thermometer at each end ⁵. VCA's general guidance for pet snakes is about 70–75°F at the cool end and 90–95°F at the warm end ⁵. Screen or guard any heat source so the snake can't touch it ⁵. Gopher snakes are temperate animals that hibernate in the wild ⁴. Get vet advice before you attempt any winter cool-down.

Humidity

Our sources give no species-specific humidity target. A large water bowl helps keep humidity and hydration adequate and supports good sheds ⁶. Wild gopher snakes come from habitats ranging from desert to marsh ¹⁴, so ask a vet about your animal's subspecies and origin.

Substrate

Newspaper, butcher paper, towels or artificial turf are easy to keep clean ⁵. If you offer a loose substrate for burrowing, feed the snake in a separate tub to avoid impaction, and never use cedar shavings ⁵.

Diet & supplementation

Feed whole rodents of a suitable size, killed or frozen-thawed ⁶. Whole prey is a complete diet, so pet snakes don't need vitamin supplements ⁶. Younger snakes usually eat about twice a week, and mature snakes every week or two ⁶. Don't feed live prey: even a small mouse bite can cause a serious infection ⁶.

Handling & temperament

Expect hissing, puffing and tail-rattling, especially from a new or nervous snake ¹². Captive-bred snakes that are handled gently and regularly usually settle down. Support the head, neck and body, and wash your hands first so you don't smell like rodents ⁸. Wash them again afterward: reptiles and frozen feeder rodents can carry Salmonella ⁹.

Health

Common issues

• Mouth rot (infectious stomatitis), parasites and skin infections ⁷.
• Respiratory infections, usually bacterial ⁷.
• Mites ⁷.
• Bite wounds from live prey ⁶.
• Impaction from loose substrate eaten with food ⁵.

When to see a vet

See a reptile vet for appetite loss with weight loss, mouth discharge, wheezing or skin lesions ⁶⁷. Open-mouth breathing or an unresponsive snake is an emergency ¹⁰.

Breeding overview

Gopher snakes breed in spring. Males wrestle, entwined from neck to tail and hissing, to win mating rights ¹²⁴. Females lay eggs, often in an abandoned mammal burrow, and give no further care ⁴. Clutches of 2 to 24 eggs are reported ¹². Hatchlings are 12 to 18 inches long and independent from birth ².

Legal & ethics

Gopher snakes are native wildlife across much of North America and are valued for rodent control ⁴. Many states regulate collecting or keeping native snakes, so buy captive-bred and check your state's rules. Never release a pet snake into the wild.

Sources

1. Gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer) · Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2. Gopher Snake · Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
3. Pacific Gopher Snake · Oakland Zoo
4. Pacific Gopher Snake · Sacramento Zoo
5. Snakes · VCA Animal Hospitals
6. Feeding Pet Snakes · VCA Animal Hospitals
7. Common Diseases of Pet Snakes · VCA Animal Hospitals
8. Basic Information Sheet: Boas and Pythons · LafeberVet
9. Salmonella, Feeder Rodents, and Pet Reptiles and Amphibians · U.S. Food and Drug Administration
10. When Should My Reptile See a Veterinarian? · Tree of Life Exotic Pet Medical Center

Last reviewed 2026-10-24 by Novel Fauna. This guide is general husbandry information, not veterinary advice. When an animal is sick, see a veterinarian experienced with exotic animals.

Revision history

1. 2026-10-24 Library complete: 20 more cited guides (70 total), Invertebrates group, care targets migration 0020, source title fixes 5cf06a2

Evidence grades: Novel Fauna editorial: source classification, not yet expert-reviewed, 2026-10-25. What the grades mean.

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