Rosy or KSB? And General Info

[Bogertophis]

I saw a pine snake at the pet store last week. It has an almost human like eyes. Large pupils, watching my finger moving side to side in front of him. Not like a corn, can't describe it... What is the difference between the gopher, bull and pine? What is their temperament like?

I've never kept a pine snake but I've both bred & kept gophers & bulls, & as far as I know the pines have a similar "out-going" personality, since all are active diurnal (daytime) hunters in the wild, & all are easy to feed (not fussy eaters, they'll consume rodents or birds in the wild). Of the 3, bull snakes are probably a little more feisty (especially the hatchlings, they're big & can be sassy nippers until they learn we're "safe"), but apart from that, I found them easy to handle without bites. They're also smart enough not to confuse you with food, at least the ones I knew were. I've even picked up wild gopher snakes that didn't bite (to move them to safety)- much depends on your approach & the "vibe" you give them. (ie. don't grab for head or tail, & if you gently touch mid-body & you'll probably get a few shoves without any nips attempted before they accept) The wild adults are great bluffers: they can hiss very impressively & will vibrate their tails vigorously- in dry brush, many mistake them for rattlesnakes, but it's the dry brush making the sound.

You'll know you're dealing with a really "aware" serpent...but generally one without malice unless you've earned it. Keep in mind these are not snakes you can keep in a "tub"...they're big & active, they'll rub their noses raw trying to escape if they don't have enough space, and they're strong, so furnishings can & will be easily moved unless you find creative ways to anchor them. Great snakes, I love them. I recommend a large aquarium w/ screen top. They can push pretty hard but I never had any escapes- I made my own screen tops of 1" x 2" pine & chained the 4 corners (w/ spring aka "dog leash" clips) to the cabinets their tanks sat on. Of the 3, bull snakes generally get the largest...a pine snake would be a great pet, IMO. (they'll also appreciate substrate to burrow in and something like Carefresh works great) I recommend using UTH at one end, & a water bowl big enough to soak in if they want to.

Sorry folks, this is off-topic...