Hognose general BS

Man this is really confusing, I want to talk in general with anyone about Hognose Snakes - I don't want to talk behavior, or cultivars (what by the way are cultivars?) nor do I want to talk health and so on and on. Too many darned topics - it would be a lot easier with just a Hognose Snake topic - and leave all those undfer subjects under the General Forums header.

Oh well, I have a pair of fall 2001 Western Hognose Snakes. Had them for about a year and a quarter. The female is much larger than the male, he stopped eating for about 3 months but has begun again. He is still easting pinkies and she takes large crawlers to small jumpers - both unscented.

I am eagerly awaitng the day I can breed them. They are one of the neatest snakes ever, surpassed by the eastern (but hard to keep) Hognose.

I have a little male Western. He gets very worked up if I look at him when he's in his cage, but when I take him out he's very calm. I think it's like having a little viper that I can handle! The strange thing about mine is that he stopped eating right after I got him. I toad scented some mice a few times, and he never misses a meal now. I guess I should keep my fingers crossed, but right now he's a great worry free snake.

E.B.

Mine is eating ok now as long as I can get live pinkies. He will be back to thawed soon enough I would guess. Either that or another hunger strike.

I bought a pair of westerns at Daytona in 2000. They both ate frozen/thawed for me right off. I decided not to brumate them, & the female decided not to eat. I managed to find a tree frog in January(I'm in Al.), scented a pink & she started right back on the frozen thawed. I didn't brumate them again the next year (01/02), & the male stopped eating that spring (02) when all my other colubrids were breeding. I tried everything I could think of, but he just wasn't interested. In mid summer he started back on his own. The female will eat anything put in front of her, & she is almost twice the size of the male. They are in brumation right now, & I am hopeful they will breed in the spring.

I guess they're just one of those snake where you never know when they'll go on strike (crosses fingers). That's why I don't like to recommend them to beginners, otherwise they'd be perfect. Disregarding that whole rear-fanged thing.

E.B.

they'll go on strike

I actually view the whole thing that they will do in regards to the non-feeding issue as more of a .. I have decided that I no longer want f/t rodentia for my meal. UGH.. I'm at this point right now with one of my westerns here.....arghh Has even gone so far as to refuse a scented rodent for me also. Keeps it up one more week and gonna get that tree frog for her I think

One of the problems is that many of the hognose ssp. out there are not represented properly. Many are wild caught. The wild caughts in particular need brumation/hibernation. This is even necessary with some C.B.'s and for breeding. Always, keep a few toads in the freezer for scenting. Treatement with Flagell/Metronidazole for protozoans a must. It will also, help the appetite. In regards to the size difference in males and females... I've seen hundreds of hogs and males are usually much smaller. Don't worry there. This is just a generalized statement. If anyone needs details just ask. Thanks Ray G.

I've got a male western hognose about 2 years old now. He's got quite the attitude, attempts to bite every time I reach for him but once he's out of his cage he's fine. I have been bitten by him once and it was a good one, he wouldn't let go. Has anyone else ever been bitten? Curious if anyone's been bitten by an adult? As for the mild "venom" people talk about..all I had was a bloody finger, survived it just fine. There's a guy around here that says he knows someone that lost his finger from a hognose bite!!! Never heard of that before. I'm thinking he must have had an allergic reaction of some kind. Oh, and yes, my male stops eating every once in a while too but does him no harm. I just wait until he's ready again, he eats f/t unscented.

Check out the photos and story at this link: hognose snake bite.

This made a believe out of me as to whether or not they inject venom. Note though that the snake had to chew at it for a while. I doubt this is an allergic reaction as it certainly looks like other "mild" envenomations I have seen.

Went to that website and looked at the pictures...Very interesting! Guess I'll be a little more careful when I reach into my hognose tank from now on. I didn't have any kind of reaction to him biting me but I had to do the same thing as the guy at the web site, had to put him under running water to get him to stop chewing. Mine's probably quite a bit smaller too though. Maybe the guy around here really did lose his finger! Thanks for the info....


Debbie