Pituophis catenifer affinis

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Sonoran Gopher Snake

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Pituophis
Species: P. catenifer
Subspecies: P. c. affinis
Trinomial name
Pituophis catenifer affinis
Hallowell, 1852

The Sonoran Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer affinis) is a species of non-venomous colubrid snake found throughout the southwestern United States, from west Texas, across to southern Arizona, and southeast California, and south into the northern states of Mexico. They feed on small rodents, hence the name gopher snake. They are fairly aggressive but can be domesticated, and very gentle. They have hard tough skin on their noses used to burrow into gopher holes. during the winter they hybernate they sneak into gopher holes (or otherr burrowing rodents) and eat what they need and stay in the invaded burrow.

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