Gopher Snake Facts
The gopher snake goes by several other names, including the Pacific snake, the coast gopher snake, and the bull snake. The main source of food for gopher snakes is gophers, hence its name. The life expectancy of a gopher snake is 12 to 15 years, but captive snakes may live longer.
The gopher snake’s life cycle or reproduction cycle begins in the spring when the snakes awaken from hibernation. During the breeding season, male gopher snakes become very territorial towards other male snakes competing for female mating partners. When approached by another male snake, the gopher snake will become very hostile and attack other snakes to exhibit dominance. Once a male finally mates with a female, the female snake can lay two to 24 eggs per batch.
Gopher Snake Bite
When threatened, a gopher snake will attack with a closed mouth to scare off predators. But they can also unleash a powerful bite that can cause severe pain to its target. The gopher snake’s hiss is the loudest of any other snake, which is another defense mechanism they use when they feel threatened.
Gopher Snake Infestation
Gopher snakes are nonvenomous and can be found in a number of environments, including marshes, prairies, forest, and deserts. Gopher snakes are extremely important to their ecosystems, as they keep rodents from becoming major problems in their area.
Types of Gopher Snakes
Gopher Snake Identification
Typically, gopher snakes get confused for rattlesnakes because of their physical similarities. As a defense mechanism, gopher snakes curl up into an ‘S’-like shape and rattle their tail like a rattlesnake, making it hard to tell the difference between the two species.
Gopher Snake Diet & Habitat
Gopher snakes ingest food by means of constriction, essentially strangling their prey to death. Once they prey is dead, gopher snakes swallow the carcass whole. But the diet of a gopher snake varies depending on their surroundings.
They live in many different ecosystems, and thus consume a wide variety of prey. Rodents, like gophers, are this snake’s favorite meal, but can eat other animals like birds, rabbits, rats, mice, squirrels, and voles. Eggs of any kind may also be eaten by the gopher snake. With a nomadic lifestyle, the gopher snake lives wherever it can feed and find food.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are gopher snakes dangerous?
Gopher snakes can be dangerous, but only when they feel threatened. They do not have poisonous venom, but their bites can be very painful.
Usually, gopher snakes attack with their mouths closed. But bites are not out of the question. Gopher snakes only bite as a last resort.
Why do gopher snakes get confused for rattlesnakes?
Gopher snakes know they look similar to rattlesnakes and use it to their advantage. When they are threatened, they mimic the behavior of a rattlesnake by puffing out their body into an “S”-like shape while rattling their tail like a rattlesnake would when threatened. For this reason, it’s difficult to tell the two snake species apart. Also, the gopher snake’s markings and coloration are identical to those of the rattlesnake.
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