This type of cycling is beneficial if you want to breed them in the spring, but otherwise can be avoided by giving them at least twelve hours of light each day. A snake who sees outside light from a window will notice when the days grow shorter and may stop eating to prepare for the oncoming winter. Gopher snakes don’t require any special UVB or UVA lighting, but the amount of light they perceive can affect their feeding and breeding responses. Steer clear of oily, odorous woods such as pine or cedar. Aspen bedding works best, and you can also give your snake tubes to slither through provided they’re wide enough and made of a safe material. Gopher snakes enjoy burrowing and are happiest with a thick layer of loose particle bedding. Being so active, they require slightly more space than some other similar sized snakes, but they will use any extra room you give them and can be great display animals!Īll sorts of substrate can be used. Smaller animals can live in 41 quart tubs or 30 gallon tanks as adults, but larger ones do best in enclosures that are four feet in length. A 20 gallon long tank or 28 quart tub works well for growing snakes. Hatchlings can be started in six quart tubs or five gallon tanks, but will have to be upgraded within a few months. Rack system tubs suit them just as well as reptile terrariums since floor space is more important to them than height. Gopher snakes are escape artists and require a very secure enclosure. They show few signs of aging and can breed well in to their teens. Gopher Snake Lifespanįifteen years is average, but exceptional animals have been known to live up to 30 years of age. Adult size varies between subspecies, with four to five feet being average, but large individuals, especially bulls, can easily reach six feet. Gopher snakes are heavy-bodied and are already around a foot in length when they hatch. They’re easy to find in reptile classifieds and prices for gopher snakes, even those of various color and pattern variations, stay relatively low. Gopher snakes are very common and although most of us can probably find them in our own backyard, prioritizing reptile health & wellness by purchasing a captive bred animal who’s already known to be healthy and feeding is better for all parties involved. With proper reptile products and care, these snakes can thrive in captivity. They’re very hardy and forgiving captives with minimal requirements, but it’s their bold and curious mind that makes them so popular with hobbyists. We have several types living throughout North America (The largest of which, the bull snake, is often incorrectly regarded as a separate species) but they’re all nonvenomous, ground-dwelling constrictors of a similar appearance. Gopher snakes are the classic wild snake that many of us grew up around, their wide range is a testament to just how adaptable they are.
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