This is going to be a bit of a long project and will require breeding trials to ensure that I am correct in my assumption.
Based on feedback from other herpers and pituophis keepers it would appear that I have collected an Axanthic Pituophis deserticola (CA Native Reptile Breeding Permit # NRP-1166)
If I am able to prove this mutation out It would represent a very neat step forward in gopher snake morph breeding projects as well as gopher locality morph projects.
I had been road cruising all night And due to a pressure front had only found a couple of long nose snakes. On my last lap on my favorite road in the northern great basin I spotted this snake. Given that you’re driving all night and blinking as little as possible all night road cruising really wears out your eyes. I assumed that my eyes were just burned out and I wasn’t seeing the color tones were perhaps that my lights were too bright. I went ahead and put it in A bucket for a closer look in the morning. When I woke up and checked the bucket, I was pleasantly surprised to find a ‘silver’ gopher snake
Just an absolute stunner of an animal, I hope the project goes well and this proves out for you! Almost makes me want to work with Gopher snakes, if only I had the space.
My goodness ! I would be hooting and hollering with the possibly one this. It is so cool that you were able to collect it from the wild.
I did have the opportunity to be part of the team that was going to breed and do the trials with the Indy gene in boas. I couldn’t take on all the animals I wanted to but thankfully I have some involvement into the Indy project.
Well. The timeline of this project certainly changed over the last two weeks. It would appear that we have found a decent population that about half of displays this phenotype.
Between a close friend and myself we had a couple good weeks in a row on this road. He and his girlfriend collected 1.1 about a mile away, I had this male but I was able to collect another
I’ve since found another female and now have 2.2 to work with. That faded one is really neat, hopefully that breeds out in some of the babies at least.
! I would be hooting and hollering with the possibly one this. It is so cool that you were able to collect it from the wild.
