Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Has anyone experienced the same as me as far as my gophers and their ability to sense prey? I'm refering to how my gophers will circle around prey items until it is right in front of them to realize that it is there.

I'm guessing, due to their natural habitat, that they have most of their senses focused at the front of their head more so then other snakes as an adaptation to hunting in burrows?

This would make sense to me and relate to their lessened ability to sense prey when its lateral to them.

Anyone know more on this?

Alan
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Alan

My gophersnake senses prey regardless of where it is at.
I'm bringing rodent to the cage and she smells it and is ready before I've even removed the lid.
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3.6 L. getula californiae - 16 eggs (Cal. King)
1.1 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
3.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - 14 eggs (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

Mine will too, just when laid in their cage (FT) they can take a while to include circling it before they seem to zoom in on it. Just a different behavior then my other critters.
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Alan

Mine do that to with FT rats, unless I jiggle them around. They need the movement. With live prey they zoom in quickly and will constrict 2-3 mice at the same time if given the chance.

Yeah, that constricting multiple food items is cool. I've seen my Gopher and my Milk do it a couple of times.

reako45

>>Mine will too, just when laid in their cage (FT) they can take a while to include circling it before they seem to zoom in on it. Just a different behavior then my other critters.
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>>Alan

That's nothing unusual for captive snakes. I have individuals of many species that will occasionally do that. Sometimes, keepers interprete it as them unable to find the exact location of the prey item, but I am not convinced that is exactly what is going on. I think it is just a case of a snake being a snake.....
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KJUN Snakehaven

I've found that many colubrids get excited and perhaps overwhelmed by the scent of their prey in an enclosed cage. That's when movement gets really "aggressive" responses......lol! That said, I have one deppei jani that I am convinced that "sees" a rat from outside her enclosure. She is kept in a Boaphile cage with the drop down front door. She is chopping at the bit when the door is lowered after she spies that rat. The thing is, if I open the door to simply do a little cage cleaning, she is totally composed. I'm convinced she makes a visual connection to that rat as a food item.