Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Back in October I acquired a wild caught hatchling great basin gopher snake. About the same time, I also acquired a hatchling corn snake. I have kept them in the same conditions (with a divider to separate them) and on the same feeding schedule. The gopher has put on size and weight much more quickly! It is now eating small fuzzy mice, whilst the corn snake is still on pinkies. I knew snakes of the Pituophis genus grew fast and were ravenous, but the comparison to the corn snake of the same age is truly telling!

The gopher is also easier to handle and strikes at me less often than the corn, which surprises me because it is wild caught and does not come from extensive captive bred lines like the corn does.

Great Basins are IMHO one of the most beautiful gophers out there. What locale is yours from? I have kept one from an LA County locale for years.

reako45

Yes, Great Basins are gorgeous.

I caught my Great Basin Gopher snake on 18 May 2002 in Harney County, Oregon, in the next town to the south of mine, approximately one mile from my house in a straight line, but slightly longer when driving on the roads.

I was at a yard-sale when the snake crawled over the foot of the girl handling the money, giving her hysterics. I approached the snake, ascertained that s/he was indeed a Gopher snake (and not a Rattlesnake), picked him/her up from the lawn, and took the snake home, before they could kill it.

My snake, Go-Go, has grown from about 3-1/2 feet to about 4 feet long (the length of the 55 gallon acrylic tank where I keep Go-Go). The only difficulty that I have, is that this snake is a very finicky eater (wont eat F/T); most recently ate 2 miceon 7 Jan, and 1 on 17 Jan.

The Wasatch Mountain Front in Utah County, Utah State.