Common Name: Western Hognose
Latin name: Heterodon nasicus
Native to: Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States (from the Pine Barrens of New Jersey to the upper Keys of Florida).
Size: Adult hognose reach anywhere from 18" to 30" with females being larger than males.
Life span: 15 - 20 years.
General appearance: The Hognose is a small, heavily bodied snake, being much heavier than most other colubrids of comparable length. They have a sharply upturned snout used for digging. The ground color is generally buff or tan with darker blotches. The belly is tan or buff marked with large areas of black, but may also include varying amounts of orange.
Enclosure: Hatchlings do best in smaller enclosures similar in size to a 12" x 6" plastic shoe box or five gallon tank. Adults need larger enclosures but can live comfortably in a 15 gallon aquarium (24" x 12") with a screen lid.
Temperature: Ambient air temperature should range between 78° - 82°F during the day and may drop to 65° - 70°F at night. Temperatures at the basking area should provide the snake with a constant hot spot of 85° - 90°F.
Heat/Light: Hognose require a supplemental hot spot to adequately digest food and remain active. They should be provided with a heat pad or overhead incandescent light that will provide an area of about 1/3 of the enclosure that achieves a temperature of 85° - 90° F. Hot rocks are unstable and often get far too hot, therefore they are not recommended.
Substrate: Newspaper, butcher paper, paper towel, indoor/outdoor carpeting, and aspen shavings. Avoid any cedar based wood shavings, as they contain irritating and possibly toxic oils.
Environment: Hognose should be provided with a warm, dry enclosure and should always have clean, fresh water provided in an easily accessible bowl. Animals may become stressed if they are not provided with a shelter where they can conceal themselves from view.
Diet: Hognose of all ages will feed on captive produced laboratory rodents (mice and rats). You should only purchase Hognose snakes that are voluntarily feeding on pink or fuzzy mice. As they grow hognose should be fed appropriately larger food items. A good rule of thumb for feeding all captive snakes is that the food item should not be larger than 1 and a half times the girth of the snake at its thickest point. Adult hognose can be adequately maintained on one adult mouse a week.
Maintenance: Enclosures should be spot checked for fecal matter daily. It is recommended that carpet substrates be removed and washed at least weekly. Paper substrates should also be changed weekly. If conscientiously spot cleaned, wood based substrates can be replaced every 2 to 3 weeks. Water bowls should be cleaned and replaced every other day.
Other references or recommended reading:
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