Pine-Gopher Snake

Breeding:
Mates in spring. Clutches of 3-24 cream to white eggs, 2 – 4 ¼ “ long, are laid in burrows in sandy soil or below large rocks or logs, June to August; hatch in 64-79 days. Young are 13-18” long.

Habitat:
Dry, sandy pine-oak woodlands and pine flatwoods, cultivated fields, prairies, open brush land, rocky desert, chaparral; sea level to 9,000’

Range:
S. New Jersey, w. Virginia, s. Kentucky, Wisconsin, sw. Saskatchewan, s. Alberta, and
sc. British Columbia south to s. Florida, ec. And wc. México, and tip of Baja

Subspecies:
Fifteen; 10 in our range. Northern Pine, white, pale gray, or yellowish with black blotches new front of body, often brownish toward rear; s. New Jersey; w. Virginia, s. Kentucky, Tennessee, n. Alabama, n. Georgia, sw. and se. North Carolina and South Carolina. Sonora Gopher, blotches brown or reddish brown on forepart of body, distinctly darker on rear; extreme sc. Colorado, w. New México, extreme w. Texas, c. and s. Arizona, and se. California south into México.
San Diego Gopher, black blotches on forepart of body fuse together; coastal s. California into Baja. Pacific Gopher, dark brown or black blotches on forepart of body separated; interspaces between side blotches suffused with gray; w. Oregon south through w. and c. California to Santa Barbara County.
Great Basin Gopher, wide blotches on forepart of body usually black, connected with
side blotches, and creating isolated light blotches on back; sc. British Columbia south
through e. Washington, Nevada, se. California and eastward though Idaho, Utah, n.
Arizona, to Wyoming, w. Colorado, and nw. New México.
Black Pine, almost uniformly dark brown to black, some with traces of blotching; sw.
Alabama west to extreme e. Louisiana.
Florida Pine, grayish in front to rusty brown toward rear, blotches indistinct, especially
on forepart of body; s. South Carolina, s. Georgia, se. Alabama, and Florida.
Santa Cruz Gopher, dwarf race resembling San Diego 24-32” long, 27-29 scale rows;
Santa Cruz Island, California.
Louisiana Pipe, obscure dark brown blotches on forepart of body, distinct lighter brown reddish-brown blotches on rear portion of body; wc. Louisiana and adjacent e. Texas.
Bull snake, yellowish with 41 or more black, brown, or reddish-brown body blotches,
dark line from eye to angle of jaw; s. Alberta to s. and c. Wisconsin and w. Indian, south through c. and w. Texas to ne. México.

Generally diurnal, but may be active at night during hot weather. This snake takes refuge in mammal or tortoise burrows or under large rocks or logs. Noted for its consumption of rodents. When confronted, the Pine-Gopher Snake hisses loudly, sometimes flattening it
head and vibrating its tail, and then lunges at the intruder.