This is Buzz, our Gopher Snake, displaying tail vibration while he waits for us to finish cleaning his habitat! Tail vibration involves shaking of the tail in response to a possible predatory threat, and it is believed these snakes try to mimic the rattling sound produced by rattlesnakes. Gopher snakes come from North America, the same place where Rattlesnakes can be found, and because of their behavior, their scales shape and color, and the way they can coil their body, people often confuse Gop

Say hello to this tiny gopher snake who recently slithered into our care! 🐍💚 Gopher snakes are non-venomous and completely harmless to humans. In fact, they’re great to have around..they help control rodent populations naturally! Sometimes they get mistaken for rattlesnakes because of their coloring and bluffing behavior, but don’t be fooled..they’re just really good actors. If you spot one, give it space and let it keep doing its important job in the ecosystem! #GopherSnake #WildlifeEducation

The things you find hiking in Peters Canyon. This is a Pacific Gopher Snake — Nature’s Great Impersonator. Stretching across the sun-warmed trail, this Pacific Gopher Snake (Pituophis Catenifer Catenifer) looks every bit like a rattlesnake at first glance, and that’s exactly the point. When threatened, it flattens its head, hisses, and even vibrates its tail to mimic its venomous cousin. But look closer: its head is slender, its pupils round, and its tail ends smoothly with no rattle in sight. C