Description Members of the Colubridae Family , the common, large, gopher snake is usually between 36 and 96 inches long. Most specimens have a dark line between the eyes and another from behind the eyes to the angle of the jaw. Sometimes striped individuals, with or without blotches, are found. Behavior Slow-moving, the gopher snake investigates burrows, rocky crevices and even climbs trees in search of prey. Adult snakes hunt small rodents, young rabbits, lizards, birds and occasionally other snakes, usually by their sense of smell.
Prey is killed by constriction and suffocation.
Mainly diurnal, these cold-blooded snakes often change their activity patterns to become nocturnal during the intense heat of desert summers. They may be observed sunning on the rocks or drawing heat from the pavement during the day to ready themselves for active nights. The hiss is produced by use of an organ in the mouth called the glottis. The glottis opens and closes rapidly, giving a fair imitation of the rattle of a rattlesnake. The Gopher snake can also spread and flatten its head, thereby resembling a rattler even more.