So long story short I went to a university collection the other day to skin and process a large number of burms that had been euthanized as part of a pheromone study. I got to play with some live burms, indigo snakes, B. c. longicauda, carpet pythons, womas, black-headed pythons, etc... But when we were done I was asked if I wanted to take any snakes home. Apparently they're getting ready to move the facility and are trying to pare down the collection only to breeding and research projects, so of the many offerings I found...this guy. Or girl. We don't know and I will have to get it probed.

This was identified as a Cape Gopher Snake or a Baja Gopher, but it is all Pituophis and I am in love already. It has some talky-attitude and I'm sure I'll get nailed eventually, but once out and in your hands it's very sweet. I know it's at least a few years old as it's been passed back and forth between two collections a long time, but it's exact age and origin is unknown. I'd already been looking through bullsnakes and gopher snakes to find a species I liked when this one was offered. Whatever the sex I hope I can find an opposite sex mate for the future.