Click Here
to view printable version.
Hognose
Snake (Heterodon nasicus)
Western hognose snakes
inhabit the central United
States. They get their
common name from the
upturned scale on their
nose. This scale enables
the snake to dig and find
food buried in the ground.
Hognose snakes produce mild
venom that is harmless to
humans but is toxic to small
animals. When threatened,
hognose snakes will flatten
their necks, hiss, and stand
similar to cobras. The most
unusual defense mechanism is
when hognose snakes will
flip upside down and play
dead. These snakes will
play dead when hissing and
acting aggressive isn’t
working. Hognose snakes are
sexually mature within three
years and adults rarely grow
over 32 inches. Gravid
females will lay 10-20 eggs
that hatch within two
months. Hognose snakes are
secretive snakes and will do
best if provided with some
type of hiding place. With
proper care you can expect
your hognose snake to live
10-20 years or more.
Prehistoric Pets promotes
responsible snake ownership
and we recommend locking
cages that prevent
accidental escape. Escaped
snakes can have a negative
impact on the general public
which can lead to a ban of
snake ownership.
Temperature
Hognose snakes need to be
maintained between 85-92
degrees during the day.
Nighttime temperatures
should range between 68-75
degrees. If you keep your
snake too cool it can
regurgitate, so make sure
the daytime temperatures are
maintained.
Housing
Hognose snakes can be housed
comfortably in a 29-40
gallon terrarium as adults.
Ideally the larger the snake
the more room you want to
provide. Never place a cage
near a window where sunlight
can directly shine on your
cage. Cages placed in
direct sunlight can easily
overheat and ultimately lead
to the death of your snake.
Bedding
Almost any type of bedding
can be used for hognose
snakes. We recommend using
carpet, bark, pine shavings,
or aspen shavings. A deep
layer is recommended to
allow your snake to hide if
it chooses to do so.
Food
Hognose snakes feed on
pinkie and fuzzy mice as
babies and juveniles. As
your snake grows it will
soon move up to adult mice.
Baby hognose snakes are
known to be difficult
eaters. Babies usually have
a preference for frogs and
getting them to eat mice may
take some time and effort.
If you are having these
problems with your baby
hognose snake let us know
and we’ll do our best to
help. We recommend that you
feed baby and juvenile
hognose snakes one time per
week. Adult hognose snakes
can be fed once every 7-10
days to maintain proper body
weight. Like most snakes,
hognose snakes typically
will not eat when they are
preparing to shed. After
your snake has shed you can
return to your normal
feeding regiment. If your
snake doesn’t eat make sure
you remove the rodent from
the cage. Rodents, when
hungry, can bite snakes and
possibly injure or kill your
snake.
Cleaning and Handling
The terrarium should be
cleaned as necessary. Any
fecal matter should be
cleaned out several times a
week. The bedding should be
completely changed once a
month and fresh clean water
should be provided at all
times. The inside of the
terrarium can be cleaned out
with an appropriate reptile
cage cleaner, we recommend
Natural Chemistry’s Healthy
Habitat. Hognose snakes can
be handled on a daily basis
and always wash your hands
before and after handling
them.