Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi)

Short answers

Bullsnake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 220×110×165 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, bullsnakes and pine snakes).

Bullsnake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 25–32 °C, basking spot 35 °C, at night 16–20 °C.

Bullsnake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended (UVB 5.0).

Bullsnake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–25 years.

Bullsnake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes – it is considered suitable for beginners (difficulty: Beginner).

Climate

Daytime temperature

25–32 °C

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

35 °C

Humidity

40–55 %

UVB

Recommended (UVB 5.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 220×110×165 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, bullsnakes and pine snakes)

Substrate

Sand-loam they can dig in, a cork hide, a large water dish

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice and rats of a suitable size

Feeding interval

1×/week

Key facts

Adult size

150–220 cm

Life expectancy

15–25 years

Origin

The central USA – prairie

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A winter rest of 10–14 weeks at 8–14 °C

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. Snakes are solitary and do not seek company — a shared hide is competition for the best spot, not social behaviour. The concrete reason is the feeding accident: if two animals grab the same food item, one can swallow the other along with it. On top of that, once they are kept together you can no longer tell which animal has eaten and which is losing weight. For breeding, put them together under supervision and separate them again afterwards.

Notes

The largest subspecies and the commonest "bullsnake" in the trade. It hisses and vibrates very loudly when threatened, but is non-venomous. It needs plenty of floor area and a genuine winter rest.

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Related species

• Baja California gopher snake (Pituophis vertebralis) – Intermediate
• Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer) – Intermediate
• Pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) – Intermediate
• Louisiana pine snake (Pituophis ruthveni) – Intermediate
• Mexican pine snake (Pituophis deppei) – Intermediate
• Middle American gopher snake (Pituophis lineaticollis) – Intermediate
• Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus) – Intermediate
• Black pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 220×110×165 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, bullsnakes and pine snakes)), substrate (Sand-loam they can dig in, a cork hide, a large water dish), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.