Pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus)

Short answers

Pine snake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 200×100×150 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, bullsnakes and pine snakes, adult; larger recommended).

Pine snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 25–30 °C, basking spot 32–35 °C, at night 18–20 °C.

Pine snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential, weak UVB (Ferguson zone 1–2) recommended.

Pine snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–20 years (exceptions over 30).

Pine snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

25–30 °C

Night temperature

18–20 °C

Basking spot

32–35 °C

Humidity

50 % during the day, 60 % at night

UVB

UVB not essential, weak UVB (Ferguson zone 1–2) recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 200×100×150 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, bullsnakes and pine snakes, adult; larger recommended)

Substrate

Semi-dry: beech or aspen shavings, sand and soil, deep for digging; a large water dish

Feeding

Food

Mice, rats, chicks or quail (frozen-thawed) – not fussy

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days, juveniles weekly

Key facts

Adult size

120–180 cm, rarely over 200 cm

Life expectancy

15–20 years (exceptions over 30)

Origin

North America (the eastern and south-eastern USA)

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

Yes – a winter rest of 8–16 weeks at 5–10 °C (about December to February), for breeding and health; stop feeding beforehand

Cohabitation

Keep them singly – a spirited, territorial colubrid; put them together only briefly for supervised breeding, and never keep males together

Notes

A diurnal pine snake, powerful and active at digging; it displays with loud hissing. Common mistakes: too small a terrarium, no chance to dig, and a skipped winter rest.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Baja California gopher snake (Pituophis vertebralis) – Intermediate
• Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi) – Beginner
• Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer) – 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 Pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 200×100×150 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, bullsnakes and pine snakes, adult; larger recommended)), substrate (Semi-dry: beech or aspen shavings, sand and soil, deep for digging; 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.