Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake

The quick tellA gopher snake has a narrow head, round pupils and a pointed tail with no rattle, even when it hisses and shakes that tail in dry leaves.

Photo: Connor Long, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Western rattlesnake

Dangerous · Crotalus oreganus

Brown, gray or olive with darker blotches down the back
Blotches turn to bands toward the rattle
Pale line from behind the eye to the jaw
Color varies a lot across its range

Size: 24–48 in. Habitat: Hillsides, grassland, chaparral and open forest from the Pacific coast to the Rockies.

The rattlesnake most people meet in California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. A bite is a medical emergency.

Photo: Antandrus, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Gopher snake

Harmless · Pituophis catenifer

Tan with dark brown blotches, a lot like a rattlesnake
Narrow head and round pupils
Pointed tail with no rattle
Hisses loudly and shakes its tail when scared

Size: 36–72 in. Habitat: Grassland, farms and desert across the West and Great Plains.

Not venomous. It eats rodents and is often killed by mistake for a rattlesnake.

Where each one lives

Western rattlesnake only
Gopher snake only
Both
Neither

Western rattlesnake: 10 states. Gopher snake: 22 states. Both live in 10 states.

Side by side

	Western rattlesnake	Gopher snake
Danger	Dangerous	Harmless
Size	24–48 in	36–72 in
States	10	22
Habitat	Hillsides, grassland, chaparral and open forest from the Pacific coast to the Rockies	Grassland, farms and desert across the West and Great Plains

Questions

How can you tell a western rattlesnake from a gopher snake?

A gopher snake has a narrow head, round pupils and a pointed tail with no rattle, even when it hisses and shakes that tail in dry leaves.

Which one is dangerous?

The western rattlesnake: dangerous. The gopher snake: harmless. If you are not sure, keep your distance and do not handle it.

Where do both live?

Both live in 10 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.