Gopher snakes are active from late March to early October and prefer habitats like sand prairies, oak savannas, and pine barrens.

The head is relatively small in proportion to the body and it is only slightly distinct from the neck.

The rostral is enlarged and elongated, imparting a characteristic somewhat pointed shape to the head.

[1] In all snakes of the genus Pituophis, the epiglottis is peculiarly modified so that it is thin, erect and flexible.

When a stream of air is forced from the trachea, the epiglottis vibrates, thereby producing the peculiarly loud, hoarse hissing for which bullsnakes, gopher snakes, and pine snakes are well known.