Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have experience owning a Sonoran Gopher snake?
I caught one about 2 days ago, and this is the first snake I've ever owned. Don't worry....I've done my research.
I'm pretty sure it's a female...only because I look at different people's pictures of gophers and all the females are the same exact color/pattern as mine.
Anyways, in general, how is the temperment of these snakes?
If you've owned one...have you gotten bit?
I'm afraid of getting bit. She has hissed and rattled, but that's it. I've been handling her a lot, even took her in to Petco to get a couple mice.

*Jessica*

>>Does anyone have experience owning a Sonoran Gopher snake?
>>I caught one about 2 days ago, and this is the first snake I've ever owned. Don't worry....I've done my research.
>>I'm pretty sure it's a female...only because I look at different people's pictures of gophers and all the females are the same exact color/pattern as mine.

You cant tell the sex of a snake by looking at the pattern. All snakes of a species have basically the same pattern, with a few subtle differences. Usually a female snake has a shorter, fatter tail, just past the cloaca. A male usually has a longer skinnier tail. The best method is to have someone you know probe it for sure. But somebody with a keen eye can most likely tell you if it is male or female by looking at it or a couple of good pics. If you can, post a pic or two and we might be able to tell you the sex.

>>Anyways, in general, how is the temperment of these snakes?
>>If you've owned one...have you gotten bit?
>>I'm afraid of getting bit. She has hissed and rattled, but that's it. I've been handling her a lot, even took her in to Petco to get a couple mice.
>>
>>*Jessica*

Usually gophers will put on a show and not bite at all. But you do get those that will bite. If you have been handling it so far without getting bit, then Id say you probably wont. But if it is in a bad mood or just wants to be left alone, you may still get bit. Getting bit doesnt really hurt, its mostly the mental part of getting bit. Most of the time when you get bit, it happens so fast that you will be like, dang, I just got bit!!
I hope your feeding either frozen/thawed or freshly killed mice and not live. Feeding live mice to a snake can be very dangerous to the snake. Please do a search on feeding live prey vs. feeding F/T - F/K. I would strongly urge you to not feed live.

Good luck with it and post some pics!
Brian

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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
0.0.1 Great plains rat snake (TX locale)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Temperament varies, but wild caughts can be nippier than captive bred animals. My 3 year old (snake, not child) nipped me a few times in its first year, but it was nothing personal and tamed down easily. It's helpful in identifying how trigger-happy they are to strike, and helps determine where each animal draws the line. Some are 90% bluff/10% serious, and will tolerate a lot before biting. Others, particularly hatchlings, are more apt to shoot first and ask questions later.

My admittedly odd 2 cents is that the best way to get over bites is to get bitten. Obviously the larger the snake is the less pleasant the experience and a bite from a large pit could never be described as remotely ticklish, unless you happen to have a really weird funnybone.

But daily human wear and tear like stubbed toes or accidentally hitting yourself in the thumb with a hammer are far more painful than bites from native non-venomous snakes. Far more painful is recalling with regret the one that got away because you tried to use a hook or tongs when a hand would have been the best tool.

So if you ever find yourself at the Great American Crossroads that we all face sooner or later, where your only choices are to stub a toe, hit yourself with a hammer or be bit by a gopher snake, choose the snake.

Hope that helps. Your mileage may vary.