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  1. #1
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    Red face Just some questions

    Hey y'all, so this morning I found out about gopher snakes (really glad I posted about my dream lol!) and I've been thinking about them all day, they just sound perfect. Soo I'm trying to absorb as much info about them as I can, o' course, I've got a couple question and I'm just looking for general info
    I've looked at a couple care sheets and I've noticed there's some varying info on their ideal temp, some say 85-90* some are more towards 70*, so I'm just wondering what's correct? Also, there's not many care sheets out there for them, is their care similar or the same to bull snakes or other pituophis?
    And one more, are there any differences (other than size) between sonoran and pacific gophers?
    Again, if anyone has more general info or wouldn't mind sharing their experiences I'd really like to hear about it! Thanks for reading! <3

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    I'd highly recommend a Sonoran gopher snake...they're pretty & docile, & a little smaller than a bull snake. They're restless though, don't keep them in a tub.
    Mine were in large glass tanks with screen tops...they do best with good ventilation, & UTH about 85-88* max, with most of their cage at room temperature.
    They all take f/t easily. Care is similar for all...they're active during the day, by the way. They're not usually shy or easily stressed either, but they appreciate
    & will use hides (including tunnels). I know some varieties stay smaller, but all the ones I had were 5-6'.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  4. #3
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    Re: Just some questions

    Never knew this snake existed. A very interesting snake. I found a care sheet don't know how accurate it is. Maybe Bogertophis will know something about that.But anyway here is the link.

    http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care...ke-Care-Sheet/

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  6. #4
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    Just gave that caresheet a quick read-thru & agree with what's been said- gopher snakes are generally excellent pets, active by day, easy to feed, & not too
    large to handle. They can be pushy in their enclosures and they are very active hunters (the opposite of ambush-predators like ball pythons)...these are the
    snakes you most often see out & about, in yards, crossing roadways & in wide open spaces. Because of this, my adults were always in 4' long (60 gal.) glass
    tanks...with screen (welded wire) tops of which all 4 corners were chained (w/ snap bolts & eye bolts installed) to the furniture upon which their tanks sat.

    You'd be surprised how determined a bull or gopher snake can be about pushing a lid off...while they don't dig holes from scratch in nature, they do occupy &
    enlarge rodent burrows (they go in & consume the entire family by constriction...and trapping those that try to run past & escape by pressing them HARD with
    their bodies)...these are magnificent predators & a bit prone to nose rubbing if their needs aren't met. Again, they're the opposite of BPs, they're very active.
    You don't need to "heat" their whole cage either....just provide UTH (about 85-88*) at one end, with the rest at room temperature (about 70*), no added
    humidity needed unless shedding. Their shed skins are thicker (they have keeled scales), a good indication of the busy life they live in the wild.

    Close cousins are pine snakes & "bull" snakes. Hatchlings are large...mine were 16-18".
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
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  8. #5
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    Re: Just some questions

    I keep my bulls a little cooler. Their hot spot is 84-86 but they spend most of their time on the cooler sides of their enclosures. They're typically only in their warm hides after a meal or when they're prepping to shed.
    3.0 Carpet Pythons, 1.1 Bullsnakes
    1.0 Olive Python 1.0 Scrub Python,
    1.0 BI, 0.1 BCO

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  10. #6
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    Sorry everyone, I lost this thread and had no idea anyone actually replied to it haha. Thank you so much for the info, this has been extremely helpful! I was kind of worried about heating such a large enclosure because a few of the care guides I read stated that they needed around 80* or higher ambient temps, but this has been very reassuring
    This might be a little bit premature but does anyone know any good breeders I could look into?

  11. #7
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    You definitely don't want to heat their cages like a ball python...they are very adaptable snakes & much easier to care for. Sorry, don't know of any current sources-
    just do some research. In fact (& I may be thinking of bull snakes, not gophers -?) if you make a thread asking for those breeding these, I'm pretty sure there's at
    least one member here...doesn't post much & I'm trying to remember his name.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  13. #8
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    Re: Just some questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    You definitely don't want to heat their cages like a ball python...they are very adaptable snakes & much easier to care for. Sorry, don't know of any current sources-
    just do some research. In fact (& I may be thinking of bull snakes, not gophers -?) if you make a thread asking for those breeding these, I'm pretty sure there's at
    least one member here...doesn't post much & I'm trying to remember his name.
    Thanks, I'll try that! I've been looking around a bit at breeders but haven't found much, there's some on MM but a lot of different varieties and I think I'm most interested in a sonoran. I'll keep looking

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