Pacific Gopher Snake

Pituophis catenifer catenifer

Gopher snakes are an important Bay Area snake to know about, as it can be found almost anywhere. They are usually a lovely golden or tan color with dark splotches, spots and even sometimes some stripes along their back. Because they imitate rattlers you’ll notice that they have keeled or rough scales and a stripes on their tail and face very similar to a rattlesnake. They’re one of the larger snakes in California too, reaching an adult size of normally around 4.5 or 5 feet but occasionally even larger!

Do gopher snakes eat gophers?

Sometimes, but it’s not really where they get the name. Gopher snakes get their name from the fact that they often find their homes in abandoned rodent burrows. Gopher snakes primarily eat mammals like rats, mice, rabbits or squirrels but they’re great climbers and also raid bird nests.

If you meet a gopher snake you’re likely in for quite a show. They take their performance very seriously and it can be hair-raising. They’ll hiss very loudly, rear up and strike repeatedly if they get riled up and they’ll even shake their tail like a rattler and if that tail happens to be in some dry leaves or something it can be very convincing. In fact, harmless Gopher Snakes act much more like a ferocious rattlesnake than most any real rattlesnake you’ll ever meet. Unfortunately, this leads some people to kill gopher snakes out of fear and confusion which is terrible because gopher snakes are really great snakes to have around.

Gopher snakes are important neighbors and vital to our environment. They benefit humans by helping to control rodent populations so it’s always a good thing to see gopher snakes around.