Sonoran Gophersnake

Warning-

Don't read on if you don't like snakes!!!

I was driving home tonight from my Relief Society meeting and came across this poor little guy in the road.  I'm sad because I actually really like snakes, crazy I know, but I do.  It was already dead, not that I could or would have done anything for it anyway.   I have never once seen a snake while living here, so I stopped to see what kind it was. I was curious to see what types of snakes are out there.  We live next to a wash which has a bike trail on both sides of it that we use all the time.

I came home and looked it up and I believe it was a Gopher Snake.  Super awesome snake to have around, so I'm sad that it was hit by a car.  It was huge, at least 4 feet long, and after doing the research I found out that they can get even bigger!  If your interested here is the information I found about them...


Sonoran Gopher snake - Pituophis catenifer affnis

Harmless, The Sonoran Gopher snake is a large snake that can be found everywhere in the Phoenix area, even in alleyways and backyards in urban areas. These are very commonly mistaken for rattlesnakes due to a very good impersonation, which includes flattening the head, loud hissing, striking, and even a rattling tail.

While they can become quite large and give a painful bite, they are otherwise completely harmless and great to have around.

The gopher snake shown above is one of the largest snakes in our range, reaching a length of as much as eight feet. These snakes are active during the day in cool weather and at night in warm weather. They are an asset in helping control rodents, since they consume a large number of them. When not hunting, they will hide under rocks or in animal burrows.