#gopher snake

[herpsandbirds]

Sonoran Gopher Snakes (Pituophis catenifer affinis), family Colubridae, Southwestern U.S.

photos:  Richard Kazmaier, Wwt2112, Eric Hough

[paxdracona]

I am once again dragging Mav into my self-indulgent bullshit uwu

Out in the Mojave, Mav, alone for long stretches of time, befriends a gopher snake. Or, they exist in each other's space and Mav gradually stops being creeped out.

But after finding it cold and lethargic during a frigid night he impulsively picks it up (hoping he did his due diligence identifying it with Google's help). The snake appreciates the expanse of toasty skin it encounters and burrows in to warm up. After some time it gets restless and Mav quickly puts it back down. It disappears, but keeps showing up around the hangar. In the year after Mav mostly leaves it alone, but picks it up a few times more and keeps being surprised at how unconcerned the snake is with it.

Ice, when he visits, most definitely IS NOT unconcerned. And that's before he learns Mav NAMED it.

"...you gave it a name." Ice is leaning backwards in his chair, even with Mav and the snake sitting calmly across from him. "Well, yeah, it gets old just referring to it as 'the snake'." "...and Cassie seemed appropriate?" Oh no, that playful grin has never ever boded well for Ice's heart rate or mental peace. "Well, at first I was joking and missing you," Aw. "...and you and the snake are both cold-blooded-" This little shit. Aw rescinded. "-so I kept calling it Kazansky, then it became Kaz, and then Cas, and then whoops, she popped out a clutch of eggs and now she's Cassie." He looks very proud of it, too. Damn him for being both handsome and endearing. Ice is obsessed with him. He'll wait to prove it till Mav has put 'Cassie' outside, though.

[followthebluebell]

Ohhh he angy

[smol-lizord]

Clementine 🍊🧡

[mustelidayy]

i love love love animals forever and ever

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Two friends!! (Gopher Snake and Red Tailed Hawk)

A great combo of friends (although probably better if they never met in person)

[msgummysharks]

Guess who finished shedding!

[aydenburd-photography]

Boulder County, CO — April 2026