#pituophis

[herpsandbirds]

Bullsnake (Pituophus catenifer sayi), defensive display, family Colubridae, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, OK, USA

Though this snake was once considered (by some herpetologists) to be a distinct species, P. sayi, it is now considered to be a Gopher Snake subspecies.

photograph by Randy Jones/USFWS

[sunfish-exotics]

The newbie shed out while I was at work yesterday. He's so cute and not shy at all! I'm calling him Muhly.

[vyva-melinkolya]

Pacific gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer)

[wolfchanw]

I went for a hike with one of my favorite humans today and found this little darling sunning themselves on a popular trail. I decided to move them off the path as there were a LOT of bikes whizzing by, and they were so polite! No hissing, no musking, no bites!

@snake-spotted I thought you'd appreciate my new friend too!

[fenrislorsrai]

Florida Pine Snake by Nick Scobel Via Flickr: Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus Adult female from southern Georgia.

[herps-and-noods]

An Ichigo Appreciation post, because it’s overdue.

[negativeroots]

Cedella has taken to sleeping with just her head and neck on her basking platform, it's adorable 😂

@i-m-snek

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

My roommate caught this little guy at work, used a grabby-claw tool to dump him in the bucket, and then released him out into the grass behind the store out of the way. He didn't seem to be hurt or anything. Can you identify him? If it helps, we're in Colorado, in the Boulder area.

Very handsome young bullsnake! Thanks to your friend for helping the little guy get to safety.

[crudlynaturephotos]

[herpsandbirds]

Pacific Gopher Snake (Pituophis c. catenifer), family Colubridae, Joshua Tree National Park, CA, USA

photograph by Carmen Aurrecoechea | NPS

[sunfish-exotics]

Master of observation and stealth

[vyva-melinkolya]

Pacific Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer)

shot on film by Madeline Johnston

[varanusniloticus]

Making new friends! Relocating a wild Pituophis catenifer due to a controlled bush fire

[dougdimmadodo]

Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni)

Family: Colubrid Snake Family (Colubridae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered

Among North America's rarest snakes, the Louisiana Pine Snake's small population size is the result of its highly specific habitat requirements and the resulting sensitivity to human-driven habitat changes that comes with them; members of this species feed primarily on Baird's Pocket Gophers (a specific species of burrowing rodent,) and almost always live in abandoned Baird's Pocket Gopher burrows (often after having eaten the burrows creator,) and as such in areas where Baird's Pocket Gophers are not present Lousiana Pine Snakes cannot survive. Native to western Lousiana and eastern Texas, members of this species do best in pine forests (particularly those dominated by a specific species of pine, Pinus palustris, forests of which are noted to generally support high levels of biodiversity as a result of the loose canopies they form which allow many smaller species of plants to coexist with them,) and spend most of their lives underground, rarely travelling far from their stolen burrows. They emerge from their burrows mainly during the mid-day to hunt (targeting rabbits, frogs and other rodents when Baird's Pocket Gophers are scarce,) but otherwise remain concealed underground in order to avoid predation and unusually high or low temperatures; during the winter, when the weather becomes colder and prey becomes scarcer, they travel deeper into a Baird's Pocket Gopher burrow and hibernate until the early spring.

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Image Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/29041-Pituophis-ruthveni

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Maybe a weird question but could a bull snake be a good first snake if the person getting them doesn't care/ isn't afraid that they can be grumpy/aggressive?

Like they are big so would need a bigger habitat then a corn snake, but is their care more tricky as well?

Idk I really want to watch whatever snake I get grow, but corn babies are so delicate and squirmy, while baby bulls are way bigger/thicker and seem less flighty/fast (they choose fight I guess). I don't mind that they tend to have more of an attitude, in fact as a dog trainer, I think they'd be fun to try and target train like u do your snakes.

So I was wondering if, besides temperament and size, if they have anything else, that would make them a poor choice for a first snake.

Not a weird question at all! If you're committed and the attitude and the size aren't major obstacles for you, bullsnakes can be perfectly fine first snakes.

The attitude is genuinely the most difficult thing about bullsnakes. I wouldn't call any snake aggressive, but they're definitely defensive and you can expect a lot of hissing and snapping with most babies. Most bullsnakes will tame down super well with time but you can definitely expect an attitude!

The size is also something to keep in mind - they average 4-6 feet but it is not at all uncommon for individuals to get closer to 8 feet. Males and females also tend to be pretty much the same size, so they're not like other snakes where you can pick by sex if you'd like to plan on a smaller snake. A 6-foot long enclosure is the absolute bare minimum with these snakes.

Aside from those two hurdles, though, they really couldn't be easier! They're as hardy as cornsnakes and really couldn't be easier to keep, and they tend to be excellent eaters as well. It's even possible to find babies with excellent temperaments right from the get-go if you're patient and take the time to check in with breeders about their snakes' personalities.

[snake-spotted]

You just reblogged my little ball python Philomène, have a look at her house mate Albertine ! She's a southern pine snake (pituophis melanoleucus mugitus)

hello!! my gosh what lovely snakes you have!! Albertine is sooo pretty look at those scales!!!!