Chibi
Gopher snake (Ipituophis catenfir)
Habitat: grasslands, arid deserts, agricultural areas, and open woodlands, especially areas with loose soil so they can dig to find prey
Geographic region: Highly adaptable, they are widespread across North America from Canada to Mexico.
Diet: rodents, lizards, small mammals, and birds
Fun Facts:
🐍 Rattlesnake Impersonator — Gopher snakes are non venomous, but they’re masters of bluffing. When threatened, they can puff up, hiss loudly, coil into a strike pose, and even vibrate their tails to mimic a Prairie rattlesnake. Sometimes they’ll strike with their mouths closed just to scare predators away.
🐍 Tiny Rescue to Giant Success — Chibi arrived in 2010 as a tiny baby with a broken back, paralyzed through two thirds of her body. She was small enough to fit in a hand. Thanks to the dedicated care of Mike Sanchez, former Naturalist Center Supervisor, she slowly regained mobility. Today she’s fully mobile and over 6 feet long.
🐍 No Eyelids Ever — Snakes don’t have eyelids. Instead, their eyes are protected by a clear scale called a spectacle. When they shed their skin, the spectacle sheds too. You can spot these in the snake sheds displayed at the Naturalist Center.
🐍 Rainwater Sippers — Snakes can drink from tiny pools of water that collect in the coils of their bodies during rain or misting. Their bodies become their own little water catchments.
