Cape gopher snake
Encyclopedia
The Cape or Baja Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer vertebralis) is a species
of non-venomous, colubrid
snake
most commonly found in a small area of western Mexico
. They have become an increasingly popular companion for people interested in the exotic pet
trade due to their extreme color variations and relatively docile behavior
.
, the Baja California Peninsula
. Here, the snake can only be found at high elevations on the southern tip of the peninsula
, where temperatures usually remain a mild 78°F (25.5°C). Hobbyists who own a Cape Gopher commonly assume that the snake's natural habitat is significantly warmer, then proceed to create a dangerously hot environment
. This lack of understanding is presumably due to the snake's rarity
.
A single Cape Gopher can exhibit wild color and pattern variations along the length of its body. Most begin with bright H-shaped marks in differing orange shades against an intense yellow background. As you trace the patterns down toward the tip of the tail, they begin to change in shape and darken until they are completely black while the yellow background loses its intensity. Other Cape Gophers' patterns begin as black stripes before evenly transforming into the familiar marks of the vertibralis family. When coiled up and alone, many people mistake the differing colors and patterns for a multiple number of snakes.
The average length of an adult Cape Gopher ranges from 36 - 66 in (91.5 - 168 cm). Hatchlings are born at a respectable 12 - 18 in (30.5 - 48 cm) in length. When threatened, the snake flattens its head while simultaneously vibrating its tail and hissing to closely imitate a rattlesnake
.
is a Sonoran-like desert
fraught with cacti, but you can also find dry tropical forests, arid tropical scrubs, desert shores and the Sierra de la Laguna
(an area designated by UNESCO
as a global biosphere
reserve
because the "semi arid
to temperate subhumid climate
area represents highly important and contrasted ecosystems." This area is known to go months, even years, without rainfall, yet can be saturated with the flood
waters of a Tropical Storm or Hurricane in a span of just one week.
and very easily agitated. Their temperament
changes from each individual snake, but it is not uncommon for a young one to strike frequently at anything that moves. This aggressive behavior doesn't last long. Once they pass this phase, they are notably more docile and rarely (if ever) strike at anything (food is an exception). Still, the Cape Gopher has a reputation for being nervous when handled. They remain still, but inevitably become active again and squirm before suddenly calming and starting the cycle over.
s, bird
s and eggs
, though there really is no certainty due to a lack of research
of these snakes in the wild. In captivity, small rodents and eggs suffice.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of non-venomous, colubrid
Colubrid
A colubrid is a member of the snake family Colubridae. This broad classification of snakes includes about two-thirds of all snake species on earth. The earliest species of the snake family date back to the Oligocene epoch. With 304 genera and 1,938 species, Colubridae is the largest snake family...
snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
most commonly found in a small area of western Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. They have become an increasingly popular companion for people interested in the exotic pet
Exotic pet
An exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet.The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic...
trade due to their extreme color variations and relatively docile behavior
Behavior
Behavior or behaviour refers to the actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment...
.
Description
The Cape Gopher is named after the location of its natural habitatHabitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
, the Baja California Peninsula
Baja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
. Here, the snake can only be found at high elevations on the southern tip of the peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
, where temperatures usually remain a mild 78°F (25.5°C). Hobbyists who own a Cape Gopher commonly assume that the snake's natural habitat is significantly warmer, then proceed to create a dangerously hot environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
. This lack of understanding is presumably due to the snake's rarity
Rare species
A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon or scarce. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term "endangered" or "threatened species" but not "extinct"....
.
A single Cape Gopher can exhibit wild color and pattern variations along the length of its body. Most begin with bright H-shaped marks in differing orange shades against an intense yellow background. As you trace the patterns down toward the tip of the tail, they begin to change in shape and darken until they are completely black while the yellow background loses its intensity. Other Cape Gophers' patterns begin as black stripes before evenly transforming into the familiar marks of the vertibralis family. When coiled up and alone, many people mistake the differing colors and patterns for a multiple number of snakes.
The average length of an adult Cape Gopher ranges from 36 - 66 in (91.5 - 168 cm). Hatchlings are born at a respectable 12 - 18 in (30.5 - 48 cm) in length. When threatened, the snake flattens its head while simultaneously vibrating its tail and hissing to closely imitate a rattlesnake
Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
.
Habitat
Most information gathered about the location of Cape Gophers is anecdotal, but the area in which they range is incredibly diverse. Dominating the landscapeLandscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
is a Sonoran-like desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
fraught with cacti, but you can also find dry tropical forests, arid tropical scrubs, desert shores and the Sierra de la Laguna
Sierra de la Laguna
The Sierra de la Laguna is a mountain range on the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. It lies at the southern end of the peninsula in the state of Baja California Sur, and is the southernmost range of the Peninsular Ranges....
(an area designated by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as a global biosphere
Biosphere
The biosphere is the global sum of all ecosystems. It can also be called the zone of life on Earth, a closed and self-regulating system...
reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
because the "semi arid
Arid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
to temperate subhumid climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
area represents highly important and contrasted ecosystems." This area is known to go months, even years, without rainfall, yet can be saturated with the flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
waters of a Tropical Storm or Hurricane in a span of just one week.
Behavior
Young Cape Gophers are aggressiveAggressive
“Aggressive” is a New York-based Grammy award-winning music video and commercial directing team of Alex Topaller and Daniel Shapiro.Aggressive has been described by Movie Creation Mag as “having a fascination with the wonderful, in the likes of the surrealist Rafal Olbinski” and “tenacious about...
and very easily agitated. Their temperament
Temperament
In psychology, temperament refers to those aspects of an individual's personality, such as introversion or extroversion, that are often regarded as innate rather than learned...
changes from each individual snake, but it is not uncommon for a young one to strike frequently at anything that moves. This aggressive behavior doesn't last long. Once they pass this phase, they are notably more docile and rarely (if ever) strike at anything (food is an exception). Still, the Cape Gopher has a reputation for being nervous when handled. They remain still, but inevitably become active again and squirm before suddenly calming and starting the cycle over.
Prey
The Cape Gopher's prey is thought to include many small rodentRodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s and eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
, though there really is no certainty due to a lack of research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
of these snakes in the wild. In captivity, small rodents and eggs suffice.