Description
- Common Name: San Diego Gopher Snake
- Scientific Name: Pituophis catenifer annectens
- Locality/Morph: High Red Superhypo
- Sex: Unsexed
- Age: 2025
- Source: Captive Bred
- Native Range: Southwestern United States
- Natural Habitat: Coastal scrub, grasslands, chaparral, open woodland, and semi-arid regions
- Diet: Appropriately sized rodents; occasional birds and eggs in the wild
- Basking Temperature: 30–32°C
- Ambient Temperature: 22–26°C (night drop to 20–22°C)
- Average Adult Size: 120–180 cm total length
San Diego Gopher Snakes (Pituophis catenifer annectens) are a robust and adaptable colubrid subspecies known for its bold patterning and confident behaviour. Individuals typically display a tan to cream background colour with dark brown or black blotches running along the body, providing effective camouflage in dry and open habitats. Like other gopher snakes, this species is diurnal to crepuscular and is highly active during daylight hours.
In captivity, San Diego Gopher Snakes require a spacious, well-ventilated enclosure with ample floor space for roaming and burrowing. A substrate that allows light digging, along with secure hides at both warm and cool ends, is essential for reducing stress. Branches and low climbing structures may also be provided for enrichment.
A clear temperature gradient should be established, with a warm basking area and cooler retreat zones to allow proper thermoregulation. Humidity should be kept moderate to low, with access to fresh water at all times. Good ventilation is important to prevent respiratory issues.
Feeding response is typically excellent, with most captive-bred individuals readily accepting frozen-thawed rodents. Prey should be appropriately sized, and feeding frequency adjusted according to age and body condition.
San Diego Gopher Snakes are hardy, inquisitive reptiles well suited to both beginner and intermediate keepers. While they may be defensive when young, regular, gentle maintenance and consistent husbandry usually result in calm, confident adults. When housed correctly, they display natural foraging, basking, and exploratory behaviours and thrive in captivity.
Livestock Delivery:
Livestock is delivered in our own heated reptile courier vans. Delivery time from ordering will depend on your location and when we next have a van in your area, this will usually be a maximum of 2 weeks. You will receive a date and time slot by phone or email, so please ensure you enter these correctly at checkout. Delivery fee for livestock depends on location, prices start at £45. Livestock orders over £500 (+VAT) are delivered free of charge.
Livestock Sale Terms:
If multiple animals are in stock then not all will be pictured, so the photo above may not be exact animal available.
All prices are per individual unless otherwise stated. All livestock is subject to availability, whilst we try to keep the website as up to date as possible errors may happen, in this situation you will be contacted to arrange a refund/alternative.
Errors can happen with sexing and morph identification. Should this be discovered before leaving us you are entitled to a refund. After the animal leaves us it is the customers responsibility to inform us within 48 hours of the animals arrival. Failing to do so may lose the customers eligibility for a refund.
It is the customers responsibility to have the correct setup available and ready for the animal, if you need any advice please do get in touch. We have the right to request proof of setup at any time, failure to provide an image of an appropriate setup or any image at all, may result in a full order cancellation and refund.
Guarantee for all inverts & amphibians is 24 hours. All other livestock is 48 hours. If issues/concerns are notified upon delivery, then this may be extended. All health related queries will be subject to a full investigation should an issue arise. Failing to provide us with the information we request may void any form of guarantee. If we find reason from the information that its injury or death was caused by negligence or incorrect husbandry then the guarantee may be void. Should death or abnormalities occur then you must inform us as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that an animal passes away please photograph the dead body and freeze until you have heard from us. If death or illness occurs after 7 days, and no health issues were reported, then Ridgeway will not be held responsible.
We have the right to refuse any sale, refund or guarantee at any time if we feel it is necessary.
Livestock sales are for customers aged 18+, if under this age you must have prior parent permission. If we have any reason to suspect this is not the case we will contact you before the animal is released.
When purchasing an animal from us you automatically agree to these terms of sale.
