Pituophis catenifer
Bullsnake
A long terrestrial cage. Bullsnakes are the large subspecies P. catenifer sayi inside this species. Gopher snakes sold under the same Latin name can be smaller.
Legal status
- Check local rules
Pituophis catenifer is not recorded here as listed in the CITES Appendices. No EU wildlife-trade annex was verified for this species, so the annex field is empty. It is not marked on the EU list of invasive alien species and it is not marked as venomous. National and regional rules can still restrict keeping. Check local rules before you keep, move, or rehome an animal. This record is not a permit and not legal advice.
Official sourceNot legal advice. Rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Check the law that applies to you.
- Temperature
- 24–30°C
- Basking
- 30–32°C
- UVB
- Ferguson zone 1 to 2. About 0.5–1.0
- Humidity
- 40–60%
- Minimum enclosure
- About 150 × 60 × 60 cm for a large adult
- Adult size
- Often 120–180 cm for bullsnakes.
- Lifespan
- Often 15–20 years.
- Difficulty
- intermediate
Diet and feeding
Rodents. Every 7 days for juveniles. Every 7–14 days for adults.
Substrate
Aspen or a dry soil mix.
Health
A loud hiss is not a disease. Respiratory noise that continues at rest is. Also mites and obesity.
Handling
They are strong and theatrical. Support the body.
Husbandry ranges are general guidance for captive care, not a veterinary prescription or a permit. Confirm the gradient with your own thermometers. UV zones follow Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1), 2016, https://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150. Legal fields use the source link on this species and stay empty when an annex was not verified.