Yesterday, a large, male Sonoran gopher snake got stuck in some chicken wire I had put around a new apple tree in my orchard in the front yard. I got tagged for my effort to try to free him and he only got stuck worse, so I went and got some wire cutters and cut a big hole around the area he was stuck in. Later I cut the wire biting into his body with a pair of shears in my herp room. Freed, he was much happier and settled down for a good drink of water. The damage wasn't too bad and I put some ointment on the wound. Since the weather is so bad today, I'm holding him until tomorrow. He is a hefty snake and likely eats rats, as well as mice and gophers. Can't wait to let him get back to work...hehe.
I loved the color and pattern too...
TC
Gopher snake rescue....
Moderator: Scott Waters
- ratsnakehaven
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- ThamnElegans24
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Nice save Terry. That thing looks like a beast. Makes me wish I lived closer to wilderness again.
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Thanks, Ben. I think he could knock down a wood rat easily enough...
- Joshua Jones
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Ben said it, Terry. That's a good-looking gopher.
- ThamnElegans24
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Yeah you know a gopher is old when it gets all faded like that.
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Tanks, Josh. Seen any snow snakes lately? Hehe.Joshua Jones wrote:Ben said it, Terry. That's a good-looking gopher.
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Yea, he's an old timer, but they still like to eat....ThamnElegans24 wrote:Yeah you know a gopher is old when it gets all faded like that.
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
One of our friends told us about killing a rattler in their yard this week, and I said that it's about 30 rodents that got a reprieve this year. Hope that made sense to them.
Also, one of our neighbors had a Mojave rattler caught in their chicken wire frame around some plants. I didn't even know we had Mojaves close to where we live, but the desert west of us is only a few blocks away. Anything's possible there. I'm going to start looking closer at the rattlers around here.
TC
Also, one of our neighbors had a Mojave rattler caught in their chicken wire frame around some plants. I didn't even know we had Mojaves close to where we live, but the desert west of us is only a few blocks away. Anything's possible there. I'm going to start looking closer at the rattlers around here.
TC
- herpseeker1978
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Very nice snake Terry! I have a soft spot for gophers, one of my favorites even though though they are dirt common out here! Haven't found one yet this year, only a few striped whipsnakes, a diamondback and a couple massasaugas. Can't complain about that!
Josh
Josh
- Joshua Jones
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Don't I wish!? Only seen a newt, so far. Been busy working all this week (the first one this year suitable for herping.)ratsnakehaven wrote: Tanks, Josh. Seen any snow snakes lately? Hehe.
Yeah, you better not! I've lived in Michigan for more than a year and I still haven't seen any saugs.herpseeker1978 wrote:Haven't found one yet this year, only a few striped whipsnakes, a diamondback and a couple massasaugas. Can't complain about that!
Josh
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
herpseeker1978 wrote:Very nice snake Terry! I have a soft spot for gophers, one of my favorites even though though they are dirt common out here! Haven't found one yet this year, only a few striped whipsnakes, a diamondback and a couple massasaugas. Can't complain about that!
Josh
Couple 'saugs. Heck, I could go for that...
I'll be out there in N. M. around the first of June. Will be looking for subocs and 'saugs. Maybe you could get away for a day or two.
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Don't I wish!? Only seen a newt, so far. Been busy working all this week (the first one this year suitable for herping.)Joshua Jones wrote:ratsnakehaven wrote: Tanks, Josh. Seen any snow snakes lately? Hehe.
I'll be in MI the 7th-21st, mostly in da U. P. Hope I bring some warm weather with me...
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Nice save, Terry!
Chicken wire can be the worst for herps. My stepfather had a 6 foot black rat snake caught in his rent-a-garden-plot years ago where only chicken wire was allowed for fencing. The snake was cut by the wire, and could have easily bit my stepfather as he clipped out the wire around him. But it did not. Upon freeing it, he picked it up, and carried it to the adjacent woods where it happily slithered off sans a hiss or a buzz of the tail. Black rats are like that. Kindred souls. Of the hundred or so I've caught, I was only once ever nipped by an adult (and deservedly so the one time it happened).
Anyways, to reiterate the obvious to us herpers, rodent-eating herps are a gardener and homeowner's best friend. They're more than happy and agreeable to protect your homestead and its produce.
Chicken wire can be the worst for herps. My stepfather had a 6 foot black rat snake caught in his rent-a-garden-plot years ago where only chicken wire was allowed for fencing. The snake was cut by the wire, and could have easily bit my stepfather as he clipped out the wire around him. But it did not. Upon freeing it, he picked it up, and carried it to the adjacent woods where it happily slithered off sans a hiss or a buzz of the tail. Black rats are like that. Kindred souls. Of the hundred or so I've caught, I was only once ever nipped by an adult (and deservedly so the one time it happened).
Anyways, to reiterate the obvious to us herpers, rodent-eating herps are a gardener and homeowner's best friend. They're more than happy and agreeable to protect your homestead and its produce.
- herpseeker1978
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Pictures can be seen here: http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =9&t=19380ratsnakehaven wrote:herpseeker1978 wrote:Very nice snake Terry! I have a soft spot for gophers, one of my favorites even though though they are dirt common out here! Haven't found one yet this year, only a few striped whipsnakes, a diamondback and a couple massasaugas. Can't complain about that!
Josh
Couple 'saugs. Heck, I could go for that...
I'll be out there in N. M. around the first of June. Will be looking for subocs and 'saugs. Maybe you could get away for a day or two.
Josh
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Verhoodled wrote:Nice save, Terry!
Chicken wire can be the worst for herps. My stepfather had a 6 foot black rat snake caught in his rent-a-garden-plot years ago where only chicken wire was allowed for fencing. The snake was cut by the wire, and could have easily bit my stepfather as he clipped out the wire around him. But it did not. Upon freeing it, he picked it up, and carried it to the adjacent woods where it happily slithered off sans a hiss or a buzz of the tail. Black rats are like that. Kindred souls. Of the hundred or so I've caught, I was only once ever nipped by an adult (and deservedly so the one time it happened).
Anyways, to reiterate the obvious to us herpers, rodent-eating herps are a gardener and homeowner's best friend. They're more than happy and agreeable to protect your homestead and its produce.
You betcha, Monty. When I lived in OH I used to protect the black rats too, even though they occasionally got into a bird's nest around the houses.
In our yard here in AZ, we also have rattlers and a few other snakes that eat rodents, like coachwhips and longnose, which we like a lot. Anything that keeps the rodent populations down, even rattlers, we like having around.
TC
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
herpseeker1978 wrote:Pictures can be seen here: http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =9&t=19380ratsnakehaven wrote:herpseeker1978 wrote:Very nice snake Terry! I have a soft spot for gophers, one of my favorites even though though they are dirt common out here! Haven't found one yet this year, only a few striped whipsnakes, a diamondback and a couple massasaugas. Can't complain about that!
Josh
Couple 'saugs. Heck, I could go for that...
I'll be out there in N. M. around the first of June. Will be looking for subocs and 'saugs. Maybe you could get away for a day or two.
Josh
Nice pics. I'd like to see where you found the 'saugs...
- herpseeker1978
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
I took you on the road we found the 'saugas! We got another last night
Josh
Josh
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gopher snake rescue....
Ok, I think I remember now. I'd be great to see one in the wild. I'll be around Truth or Consequences the first week of June. Will get back to you later. Leaving for MI on the 7th of May and be back on the 21st.
Terry
Terry