A tan Pacific gopher snake with brown blotches on dry ground. — Photo: Bill Bouton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pacific Gopher Snake

Pituophis catenifer catenifer

A long, harmless West Coast snake that looks a lot like a rattlesnake but has no rattle, and hunts rodents in their burrows.

Checking teacher reviews…

Teacher? Sign in to review this page →Report a mistake

About the Pacific Gopher Snake

Pacific gopher snakes are usually 4.5 to 6 feet long, sometimes up to 9 feet. They are tan with brown and black blotches and a pale belly. They live only in low areas of California, Oregon and southwestern Washington, in woodlands, deserts, prairies, chaparral and farmland. Unlike rattlesnakes, they have long, thin bodies, narrow heads, no rattle and no heat-sensing pits.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Pituophis catenifer catenifer^[1]
Size: Usually 4.5 to 6 feet; up to 9 feet.^[1]
Lifespan: 12 to 15 years in the wild.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Voles, mice, rats, squirrels, gophers, birds, lizards and eggs.^[1]
Habitat: Woodlands, deserts, prairies, chaparral, shrubland and farmland.^[1]
Where it lives: California, Oregon and southwestern Washington, below about 2,000 feet.^[1]
Group life: Solitary. Mostly active by day.^[1]
Babies: 3 to 9 eggs.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2007).^[2]

Fun facts

Gopher snakes spend about 90 percent of their time underground.^[1]
They look like rattlesnakes but have no rattle.^[1]
Gopher snakes can grow up to 9 feet long.^[1]

Vocabulary

constrictor: A snake that kills prey by wrapping around it and squeezing.
mimic: To look or act like another animal.
burrow: A hole or tunnel dug in the ground by an animal.
nonvenomous: Not able to inject poison.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Oakland ZooOakland, California · Animal AmbassadorsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Oakland Zoo. “Pacific Gopher Snake.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/pacific-gopher-snake/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Pituophis catenifer.” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/63869/12723241 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Snakes

Amazon Tree BoaCorallus hortulanaA slender, many-colored tree boa of South America that hangs from branches in an S shape to ambush prey.Ball PythonPython regiusA small, calm African python that curls into a tight ball with its head tucked inside when frightened.Boa ConstrictorBoa constrictorA large, nonvenomous snake of Central and South America, also called the red-tailed boa, that squeezes its prey.California KingsnakeLampropeltis californiaeA shiny banded snake of the western U.S. that eats other snakes, including rattlesnakes, and is immune to their venom.Cape CobraNaja niveaA fast, highly venomous cobra of southern Africa whose color ranges from golden yellow to almost black.Corn SnakePantherophis guttatusA harmless orange-and-red constrictor of the eastern United States, also called the red rat snake, with a belly like Flint corn.Eastern Diamondback RattlesnakeCrotalus adamanteusThe largest venomous snake in the United States, a quiet, reclusive rattlesnake of southeastern pine forests.Eastern Indigo SnakeDrymarchon couperiThe largest native nonvenomous snake in the United States, a glossy black snake that shines blue in sunlight and even eats rattlesnakes.Emerald Tree BoaCorallus caninusA bright green Amazon tree snake with white zigzags that coils over branches and senses the heat of its prey.Gray Rat SnakePantherophis spiloidesA harmless, tree-climbing constrictor of the eastern and southeastern United States that eats rodents, birds and eggs.Green Tree PythonMorelia viridisA bright green rainforest python of New Guinea and northern Australia whose babies hatch yellow or red and later turn green.Inland TaipanOxyuranus microlepidotusOften called the world's most venomous snake, a shy brown snake of remote Australian floodplains that changes color with the seasons.Kenyan Sand BoaEryx colubrinusA short, stout East African boa that buries itself in sand with only its eyes peeking out, waiting to ambush prey.Rosy BoaLichanura trivirgataOne of the smallest boas, a calm, striped desert snake of Southern California, Arizona and Mexico.Rough Green SnakeOpheodrys aestivusA slender, harmless green snake of the southeastern United States that lives in shrubs and trees and eats insects and spiders.SidewinderCrotalus cerastesA small desert rattlesnake of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that moves sideways across loose sand, making it the fastest rattlesnake.