A warning if you’re squeamish about snakes: Pix below. Very good snakes, these (Colorado Parks and Wildlife info says they’re an “invaluable species to have around homes and in gardens” for rodent control (and, some say, for rattlesnake deterrence, though I have no experience to back this up, and some experience to negate it)), but still, if you’re looking for a pic of a mustang this morning, a scaly slitherer might be a bit of a shock. …
Ready?
Here we go:
This is (I think) a bullsnake (one word, says Colorado Parks and Wildlife), found very close to sunset, very close to the basin’s western fenced boundary above the rimrock. I was following a band of mustangs toward lower ground when I caught sight of the movement of this little guy or gal, far enough away from my path through the shadscale, sage and bunchgrasses that my world-renowned (or maybe that’s just me) ability to levitate did NOT engage.
Actually, though, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife: “While all snakes of this species are called bullsnakes in Colorado, they are actually subspecies of gophersnake. There are two species of gophersnake in Colorado: the Pituophis catenifer sayi, or bullsnake, and the Pituophis catenifer deserticola, or Great Basin gophersnake. The bullsnake is mostly found on the eastern plains of Colorado and the Great Basin gophersnake is on the western slope, but they do intermix in southern central Colorado, especially in the San Luis Valley.”
So technically, according to the above, what we have here is a Great Basin gophersnake. (Again, I think; my pix of my little friend don’t look exactly like the pic on the CPW website.)
Is it just me, or is there a smiley face on top of this critter’s head?
S/he was completely uninterested in either me or the mustangs, and we went our separate ways with respect and appreciation (at least on my side).
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
That does look like something from the Bullsnake category, TJ, and he’s a beauty! Maybe he’s a mutant cross between a Bulksnake and Gophersnake since they can “intermix.” Those markings are quite fancy!
Definitely a “bullsnake” – maybe their markings vary according to individuals?
Very interesting!
Ha. These are good snakes to have around! 🙂
Very cute little critter! It amazes me how snakes can move with no limbs!
I know, right?! There’s something a bit unnerving about it. I’m not a snake/reptile gal, but I do love the diversity of life we have. 🙂
I love these guys. Behind my house in the mountains of CA I got to see the evidence of a fight between a gopher snake and a rattler. I could only hope the gopher snake won. Still, I lost two dogs to rattlesnake bites while I lived there. I have nothing against rattlesnakes, either, but that was just rude. Here, so far, all I’ve seen are gartersnakes and I’d be happy if it stays that way.
I’m so sorry about your dogs. 😦 We lost our dog Barney to a rattlesnake when I was a kid and we were in Texas (MUCH bigger rattlesnakes than here in CO). It was traumatic. Had a mustang bitten by a rattlesnake in the early years. … Fortunately, she pulled through. I echo your sentiment of having nothing against rattlesnakes … but I give them a wide berth and a lot of respect!