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new owner of a gopher snake

E

eatinmachine

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I just got a gopher snake at the reptile show it was a san diego gopher and is very small the guy said it is feeding on f/t pinkies but it would take a fuzzy(I have tried to feed it but he just ate 3 days ago and didn't want it but instead right when he went in the cage he pooped(yes it is a he)). I right now have it in a 10 gallon cage aspen bedding and a under cage heat mat with one hide but am adding more very soon. I think this guy is awsome he is a het for albino. Info on anything else I need to do please.
 
Most Gopher Snakes I have raised have been ravenous eaters. They readily took fuzzies as their first meals. I have kept Sonoran Gopher Snakes, Bull Snakes, and Pine Snakes to name a few. I regularly bred Sonoran Gopher Snakes for quite a few years. I have never kept an San Diego Gopher Snakes, so I may be off the mark here regarding that subspecies, but I cannot imagine a "very small" Gopher Snake baby. All of the Gopher Snake subspecies I have kept have rather large babies on average. If your's seems on the small side as objectively compared to other Gopher Snake babies, then I would suggest remaining with pinkies for a few feedings. If on the other hand it is average size for a Gopher Snake baby, then fuzzies or crawlers are probably ok.

As for you trying to feed it, it sounds to me as if you tried to feed it almost as soon as you got it home. Give it at least 3 days of being left alone in its enclosure, then try to feed it. Of course it may take food sooner, but if you don't want to inadvertantly stress it out, wait a short while. Once it is eating, if you have the temps set correctly, it will be able to eat every 3 to 5 days depending on the size food item you give it.

As for your set up, I suggest 2 hides. Other than that it sounds ok if only because I am assuming you have a water bowl with fresh water in there at all times. That heat mat should be at one end, and a hide can be set over it. Get a thermometer so you can check temps at both ends. A hot spot of up to 90 to 100 degrees is ok for all Gopher Snakes (even up to 105 for some subspecies). The other end can get as cool as about 74 degrees but, up to 82 should be ok. At night the cool end temp can drop down to about 68 with no problems as long as the heat mat remains on.

Keep the tank away from windows (sun and temperature spikes in either direction even when windows are closed closed). Keep the tank away from sources of heat like radiators. Keep it clean and dry. Remember to keep the screen top of the tank very secure.

Keep up the good work.

All the ebst,
GB
 
yes I do have water and a top that is very tight on there the warm side is 95 degrees and the cool side is 72. I have 2 hides and he just ate 2 large pinkies it took him some help to eat it with dangling and stuff but since he is usually a guy to nip if he got a good hold he just kept eating. thanks for the help
 
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