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Hognose east VS. west

darkbloodwyvern

darkbloodwyvern

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ok, i am interested in hognose, but just want a little info to ponder a while before i even consider buying any :D
what is the differences between eastern and western? Are certain morphs specific to east or west, and why are eastern more difficult to keep?
behavioral differences?
thanks!
 
I thoroughly, completely, and 100% recommend Westerns over Easterns. Easterns are harder to keep in captivity because they are more difficult to switch to an all rodent diet. Some certainly switch over with no problems, but W will readily take unscented rodents. I DO NOT condone using wild amphibians as feeders. One thing you should know that hognoses are not for (reptile/snake) beginners. The majority of hogs will go off feed at almost random times of the year, and your experience will greatly help you determine the difference between a normal hognose and a sick one. Also, you may have to use various feeding techniques to get them eating again, and some of them are gruesome for beginners.

Other advantages are that W do come in some color varieties and are readily available as captive bred. In addition, many consider the W species much "cuter" or personable because their rostrum is more upturned, giving them the classic hog look.
 
sounds good! thanks!

oh good, that helps alot, thank you! i just read only a few differences in other threads here, but couldn't find much. I have seen the westerns for sale in my local pet store, and one of the girls working there owns a few. Again, i am focusing on my ball python, but eventually i may consider getting a hognose, & i will looks for westerns rather than easterns. I have some experience with snakes, and the going off feed thing isn't too bad, but it's nice to have snakes who do it a little as possible!
i just love hogs and one day i may get one...that is after i decide between rosys, hognoses, and kingsnakes,or maybe one of each... :hehe:
~jessi
 
You said that they r not a good beginner snake. The very first snake i owned was a hognose and i never had problems so i am curious if u might have more reasons for this statment?
 
I think because they can be difficult to feed is why most don't recommend a hog as a first snake. They seem to be like Ball Pythons, not necessarily mean or hard to handle, but unlike, say my corn snake, who will eat anything he can get his head around that looks furry, my BP will not eat rats, no matter how hard anyone tries. I'm just lucky he eats mice. So in that way at leats, that is something i would recommend a person with a bit of experience with snakes know how to handle, rather than a beginner who may freak out when their snake decides to fast or something.
i don't know how Hognose venoum works, but that seems like a bit of a problem for someone who has never had a snake, but not something that would keep me from getting one someday. I know it is hard to get bit by a rearfanged snake, and all the hognose i've known are quite mild-mannered, but some people are pretty dumb about snakes when they get their first one-like me for example :D
anyways, i think the reason they are considered bad begginer snakes is because sometimes tyou have to brain live baby mice or bleed FT's -stuff that doesn't bother me now, but two years ago, i would have been pretty squeamish about that kind of thing. It was wierd enough then to buy Frozen mice...
 
Have done both....

I have bred Easterns & Westerns and find Westerns much easier to deal with. Mainly because the Westerns feed on mice immediately from hatching. Suppling toads for Easterns can be a problem for most people. I keep one Eastern for my Educational Programs and it feeds on f/t toads. In the spring when they are available, I gather toads and stock them in the freezer for the later part of the season when they are not available. Not to start a flame war but my experience in weaning Easterns onto mice doesn't end well for the snake. They don't survive on a strictly mouse diet. I breed Westerns and have a couple color morphs.
 
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