might be getting a eastern hognose

ok so i was offered a a eastern hognose snake by some one probably, don't know the specifics about the snake yet but will post them when i know. first off though i have to say I've never kept a snake, i'm mostly a gecko guy to be honest. i do deal with them and feed them at work so i feel i'm up for the care aspect. i do a question though right, i've read that in the wild thay mostly eat frogs and toads, i'm just wondering how important this diet is to them? can i feed primarily mice or is it bad for them and if i need to feed toads or frogs where would i get them from (preferably frozen). i'm sure i will have more question later thanks

Originally Posted by Ozymandias

ok so i was offered a a eastern hognose snake by some one probably, don't know the specifics about the snake yet but will post them when i know. first off though i have to say I've never kept a snake, i'm mostly a gecko guy to be honest. i do deal with them and feed them at work so i feel i'm up for the care aspect. i do a question though right, i've read that in the wild thay mostly eat frogs and toads, i'm just wondering how important this diet is to them? can i feed primarily mice or is it bad for them and if i need to feed toads or frogs where would i get them from (preferably frozen). i'm sure i will have more question later thanks

Hogs are very easy to care for in my experience they readily eat f/t mice of appropriate size. If you have any problems you may have to scent it, but getting them switched over is usually fairly simple. I wouldn't fret too much. If you get a picky eater, just scent it a few times and work from there.

ok, where would i get sent?

btw here are some pictures that the guy just sent me what do you think?

Is it WC? If its a LTC or CB it is probably already on mice. I've never had to scent anything for my hogs. They were never picky eaters like some people have said. If you do have to scent it, just pick up a small, cheap frog at your local pet store and rub it on the mice.

FWIW, I love the glove in the picture. Feisty? I've had a few females that would get huffy and hood, but never struck with an open mouth. Most I've had were as sweet as any ball python.

I've never had to scent anything for my hogs. They were never picky eaters like some people have said.

But do you have Westerns? Or Easterns? He said this one is an Eastern and from what I read online, they are known to be harder to convert to mice. Frogs are their natural prey in the wild, and all...

Originally Posted by tress29

But do you have Westerns? Or Easterns? He said this one is an Eastern and from what I read online, they are known to be harder to convert to mice. Frogs are their natural prey in the wild, and all...

I only have westerns at the moment, but I've had both over the years. Neither have been a problem in my experience. Every snake is different, though and your experience may differ from mine. I was merely stating my personal experiences with them.

That said, if it simply won't convert, a quick search of google or a post on here should turn up some feeder frogs of some kind or another.

Either way, good luck!

I wish I had saw this thread earlier. Easterns are notoriously hard to get to convert to a mouse diet. Benjamin, you are one of the few that have been lucky. Everyone else I know who has kept them (including myself) find it a long, arduous, and often unsuccessful process of getting easterns to eat unscented mice.

Try contacting Guardian Reptiles. They deal with hognose, including easterns. I know she uses the residual juice from a tuna fish can to scent her mice, and has had decent success. Also, I heard that Greg Bennett (another hog breeder) uses aquatic turtle food.

To elaborate, get away from feeding or scenting actual amphibians if possible. The sooner they lose their memory of frogs & toads, the better. Get them smelling other stuff pronto.

i did contact Gaurdian reptiles and thay where a big help thanks alot for that i'm going to start trying to convert him and see where it leads me worst comes to worst i will burmate him