bull snake

Bull Snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Colubridae Genus: Pituophis Species: P. catenifer Subspecies: P. c. sayi
Trinomial name
Pituophis catenifer sayi Schlegel, 1837

The Bull Snake (Pituophis catenifer sayi) is a large species of non-venomous colubrid snake found predominantly in the central United States. The epithet sayi is in honor of the renowned zoologist Thomas Say.

Range

Bull snakes have one of the most expansive ranges of the Pituophis species. It can be found throughout much of the central United States, in the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, and Montana. It ranges as far north as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and as far south as the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

Description

Bull snakes are large snakes and specimens often exceed 6 feet in length, though specimens of up to 100 inches have been recorded. Males are generally larger than females. They are usually yellow in color, with brown, black or sometimes reddish colored blotching. Many color variations have been found, including albinos and white varieties.

Diet

Bull snakes eat small mammals, such as rats, mice, rabbits, gophers, prairie dogs, as well as ground nesting birds and the young of other snakes. It is commonly believed that bull snakes will kill rattlesnakes; this possible misconception is often touted as a reason for humans not to harm bull snakes when encountering them in the wild.

In captivity

Juvenile

Bull snakes are extremely common in the exotic pet trade. They are frequently captive bred for color and pattern. They make easy-to-care-for, hardy captives, though their size can make them intimidating.

References

• Keeping and Breeding of Bull Snake

External links

• Iowa Herpetology: Bull SnakeSpecies account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide
• Bull snakes in captivity

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