(Heterodon Nasicus)

Introduction: Known as “Drama Queens” of the snake world, Western Hognose snakes have a variety of party tricks that make them stand out from the rest. Their most famous trick is playing dead, where they roll on their backs and stick their tongue out. While we don’t recommend these for novice keepers, due to them sometimes being picky eaters, we see no problem in people having them providing they do their research. They are found all over the United States, frequently inhabiting prairies, floodplains, scrublands and semi- deserts. Their natural diet consists of toads, frogs, small lizards and even salamanders. Full grown Hoggies top out at 36 inches and rarely get heavier than 850g.

Housing: As Hognose snakes stay rather small, they make perfect pets for those who are limited on space for enclosures. They are ground-dwelling animals so height is not really needed, but they may climb if given the chance. They are a rather shy snake so they do not do well in big enclosures, a smaller vivarium is recommended. Their housing must be secure to prevent them from escaping and free from hazards that could potentially cause injury. Good ventilation in the enclosure is essential, this is to prevent the build-up of harmful bacteria that may grow in unventilated set ups. The vivarium should be made from a solid material that is easy to clean and retains heat such as MFC (Melamine-Faced Chipboard) or MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard).

Decorating the vivarium is entirely your discretion, as long as you have plenty of foliage and ground cover with a big enough water dish for the snake to fully soak if it wishes.

Husbandry: Hognose snakes tend to be a more awkward snake to keep happy so correct husbandry is absolutely essential. Like all snakes, there should be a temperature gradient in the enclosure so the snake can decide where it would like to be. The cool side of the enclosure should be sat in the range 24°C-26°C (75-80°F), with the warmer end being in the range 29°C-32°C (85-90°F). The humidity in the enclosure should be sat between 30-50% with plenty of air flow.

General care: A water dish big enough for the snake to bathe in should be provided in the cool end, which should be changed with fresh water daily. Sometimes the snake may soil in the water so it may have to be changed earlier than this. Poorly maintained enclosures can pose a serious health risk to your snake, to avoid this, the enclosure must be spot checked daily, and any excrement, urates or urine-soaked areas removed. Then, once a month, with a reptile safe disinfectant, clean down the enclosure, glass and decorations making sure to rinse and dry everything thoroughly. Hognose snakes have such a varied diet in the wild but not everything is readily available so a rodent diet is most popular, it is essential not to overfeed your Hognose. Hognose snakes should be fed every 5-7 days as babies up to 12 months, over 12 months every 7-10 days is sufficient.

Overview: If you think you have the time and patience to care for a Hognose then they do make fantastic pets with a quirky personality. Some Hognose snakes do not really like being handled but with positive handling experiences they do tend to mellow out more.