Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been researching lately for my first or second snake, and almost everyone recommends that I should go with a North American species. However I have no interest in Ratsnakes, Milksnakes or Kingsnakes, and possession of a Hognosed Snake is illegal where I live.

What are people's experiences with Bullsnakes? Can they be tamed down? Are they similar to handling a the Common Boa? I just want to read what people have to say.

My first snake was a Gopher snake.
They "tame" down very nicely. Especially if you start with a young one and handle it. But even wild caught adults usually "tame" down.
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11.14 L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
2.3 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 L. getula floridana (Brooksi)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
4.2 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - 14 eggs (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

Bullsnakes are great! When I was growing up, they were the easiest snakes to find after garters. So that is what I moved up to after a year or two with garters. A buddy and I accidentally rolled a log over the first one we found, and it was mighty peeved.

Most tame easily and make first rate pets. For some reason, males have tamed easer than females for me. They are excellent feeders. Of course, what goes in eventually comes out in large quantities from the other end.

As for handling, they are closer to rat snakes than a boa constrictor. (I've had both and like bulls better than either.)

All the Pits are big bluffers. They can hiss like furies, which has given them a reputation for aggression. But the display is really defensive. The idea is that if they seem to be the meanest SOB in the valley, you will back off and leave them alone. They adjust nicely after a bit of handling. Babies adust to captivity best, of course.

Paul Hollander

I agree. They put on a big act, but some will bite! They are great snakes. Eat like PIGS and easy to care for. I say their a step up from corns and kings. Just my opion
God Bless
Chris

Captive Bred Reps BY: CHRIS FLOWERS

Nice looking Pits there.

I am not a big fan of skinny colubrids, or 12' boids. I like my snakes chunky and rough-looking. The only smooth snakes I like, frankly, are the Antaresia, Woma and Black-Head Pythons

I started reading about the Pits, fell in love with them because of their keel-scales, kinda remind me of the Prairie Rattlesnakes I used to catch all the time as a kid. Even though we had Bull Snakes in our yard, for some reason we always had more Rattlers. Yes, I know, I didn't know any better back then.

I am guessing they still have quite a bit of girth to them, or they just seem thick to me when I was 6 or 7?

"All the Pits are big bluffers. They can hiss like furies, which has given them a reputation for aggression. But the display is really defensive. The idea is that if they seem to be the meanest SOB in the valley, you will back off and leave them alone. They adjust nicely after a bit of handling. Babies adust to captivity best, of course."

I have an 10 year old CB female that begs to differ LOL She has never calmed down and will bite you. I usualy go in with a hook and once you touch her she bolts. then you can get your hands on her. To attempt to pic her up while in threat display will lead to a bite.

BTW, to the OP, I am by no means trying to talk you out of a pit. Bulls are usualy very calm and exactly as everyone has explained. This female I am reffering to is just quirky

Bulls make awesome pets. Most will tame readily especially when started young. They do bluff as others stated but goes away with time also. They move constantly, are very strong, can get anywhere from 4-8 feet, and have many new exciting morphs coming out. They are very alert and quite hardy. There are always exceptions to that but this fits the bill for most.

Scott Robinson

Thank guys! I might actually consider this as my first. How quickly does the Pituophis catenifer sayi grows? The reason why I am asking is so I can prepare for the intervals between size of the enclosures.

If I keep them in plastic tubs, do I have to escape proof them when they are hatchling?

I am guessing room humidity (40-60%) is ideal since they are native to my province, and the temperature should be 24 C (75 F) on the cool end to 31 C (88 F) or 32 C (90 F) on the hot end, judging from the care sheets on the Internet as well as in books.

I know that they will be feeding on fuzzies when they are small, and adults are expected to eat large mice or small rabbits since rats are illegal in the province.

Sweet you have everything right! I would make sure the tub is fully escapeproof cause the pits are active and "pushers". The only problem with pits is you can't have just one! lol. I'd work on getting some more cages now.
Heres a pretty little basin i had to tick off to get the pick
Nate

Simply beautiful specimen Nate!

So I am going to be looking at under bed storage for these dude, when they are half-grown eh? Not sure what I would do after they get to be that size, other than building an full-size enclosure for it.

I read some people let their Bull Snake roam around during the day, and then placed back into their tub at night if they can't provide a full-size enclosure.

I will see what I can do to get a big climbing piece in a pot.

>Thank guys! I might actually consider this as my first. How quickly does the Pituophis catenifer sayi grows? The reason why I am asking is so I can prepare for the intervals between size of the enclosures.

Rule of Thumb in snake growth: double hatchling size in the first year and triple at the end of the second year. Figure around 16 inches at hatching.

>If I keep them in plastic tubs, do I have to escape proof them when they are hatchling?

Yes. This is a given for all snakes.

>I am guessing room humidity (40-60%) is ideal since they are native to my province, and the temperature should be 24 C (75 F) on the cool end to 31 C (88 F) or 32 C (90 F) on the hot end, judging from the care sheets on the Internet as well as in books.

Humidity is fine. I tried for a range of 27.0-29.5 C (80-85 F) in my cages with the heat turned off at night so the temperature dropped down to around 70 F. A 7-8 C temperature range is difficult to set up in a small cage.

>I know that they will be feeding on fuzzies when they are small, and adults are expected to eat large mice or small rabbits since rats are illegal in the province.

A well fed youngster can graduate to adult mice when it is three months old. I have fed rats, young rabbits, and chicks to mine, though baby chicks tend to produce runny, stinky stools. In the wild, bulls will take a variety of rodents and other small game. I never tried gerbils or hamsters, partly because I had a good supplier for mice and rats. Partly because the gerbils cost too much and the first hamsters I met would bite like devils.

By the way, I like my snakes rough and chunky, too. In my opinion, the Pits are rougher and chunkier than any other nonvenomous snake of equal size that is native to the USA.

Paul Hollander

Thanks guys, this forum has been more helpful than all the books and care sheets I have read so far.