Gopher Snake
Noodle
Noodle
WERC received a call about a snake that was trapped in garden netting and the homeowners were not sure if it was alive or not. WERC staff went out to check on the animal and upon a first look, she did look deceased. While we were cutting her out of the garden netting, the portion that was wrapped around her neck was released and she started to move. We immediately admitted her to our clinic to address wounds and give her supportive care in her recovery. Once she was fully recovered, we unfortunately were unable to release her back to her original home because the homeowner did not want her returned. Releasing her back to any environment she is unfamiliar with poses a great risk to her ability to survive so WERC decided to give her a home with us. We share her story now with our community as an example of the damage garden netting can pose to wildlife with hopes that people limit their use of it in the future. saving future generations of snakes.
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Reptiles are ectothermic and cannot control their body temperatures. Because of this, they will often be found lying in the sunlight to warm themselves so they may be more active.
Gopher Snake Fast Facts
Length: 48-96" (120-240 cm).
Habits: Active by day, but may be nocturnal in hot weather.
Breeding: Female lays one or two clutches, 2-24 eggs each, in summer.
Habitat: The Gopher Snake has a variety of habitats ranging from sea level to mountains. Hide in rodent burrows, under logs and stones, and dig into loose soil.
Range: Southernmost British Columbia east to Wisconsin and south to southern California and southern Texas.
Prey: Valuable in controlling rodents. Eats small mammals (rodents, rabbits, ground squirrels, etc.) and birds, eggs. Sometimes lizards and insects. Kills by constriction.