Need Gopher help

[wpatte2005]

Hi I have 2 questions 1)Can anyone help me with what kind of gopher this is.I know the photo isnt the best butits all I have.2)I got him in a trade,I have 7 other snakes all boid,and I anm having problems.The guy I got him from fed him 2 f/t mice a week.The snake is almost 5' and he said was a really good eater.Well I fed him the next week(I raise my on mice and feed live or fresh killed I monitor each feeding)anyway I gave him a live mouse mouse and he went berzerk killed him right away and eat no problem.That was feb 21.Well that was the last time he has eaten anything.I watch him in his enclosure he comes out I have seen him drinking water several times,never seen a snake drink that much before,but he won't eat.I have a small sterilite bin in his tank I keep full of moss and reptibark for a hide he stays there mostly,very friendly seems to like being held but he wont eat.I have talk to a vet he said that a month wasnt that long but this is freaking me out.All of my pythons and Boas are eating machines can anyone give me advice.Oh one last thing that might help he was kept in a sterilite bin too small to my notion by previous owner does anyone think I should try going back to this.

[wpatte2005]

OOps forgot the picture

[aliceinwl]

I wouldn't be too worried as long as you don't see any wieght loss. We've got a gopher snake at my office who went off food for about a month and a half, and just recently resumed feeding. At this time of year a lot of snakes will start fasting a bit even if you don't cycle them. He looks a lot like the San Diego gophers I see around here, but I'm no expert.

Sometimes if you feed them a smaller prey item, than they're used to, that can get them eating again. Our office gopher was eating small mice, but after he'd steadfastly refused them for several weeks and persistantly hid on the cold side of his tank we stopped offerng him food. A couple of weeks ago, he came out and started wandering around the cage like he used to do when he was hungry, so that week we got him a small hopper. He took it immediately and is now back to taking meal every week.

-Alice

[wpatte2005]

Very helpful reply thanks very much.I assumed he may be in some kind odf hybernation period but I know nothing of these snakes.He burrowed under the bark in his hide box and stayed there for the longest.Anyway thanks very much.

[John Cherry]

I agree with the other poster it appears to be a Pacific from the pic you posted. As far as the eating problem, while at this time of the year a lot of natural things can affect the feeding response of a gopher. I would suggest you check all of your husbandry issues to make sure they are good. Such as temps being between 77 - 81 degrees, plenty of fresh water and a hide for the animal etc.. With pituophis feedig response is normally not a problem unless there is a problem of some sort. When I have it happen I can normally trace it back to something I did with the husbandry issues that caused the problem. If you need specific help feel free to email me directly.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

[Wilomn]

If it is a male he may be off feed while looking for females. I've had them go several weeks during spring without eathing anything. Looks pretty good though.

[wpatte2005]

He finally ate,I think it was just the stress of a new home.I feed all of my snakes live,there is avery limited supply of rodents in my area,so sont judge me too harshly,anyway he has only eaten live with me and it was very funny.I knew when I dropped the rat pup he was going to eat he came after it immediatly,but not being the experienced hunter he chased it for about 3 minutes before he caught it.Anyway thought I would share the moment.

[John Cherry]

Glad to hear it, hope he makes a great pet for you.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms :scatter: