The term hognose snake is used to describe several snakes characterized by
an upturned snout. The North American species are notorious for playing dead
when threatened. The hognose snakes consist of three distantly related
genera that are artificially grouped together by the "hognose" common name:
Heterodon, which are predominantly found in United States and northern Mexico,
Leioheterodon, the hognose snakes native to the Madagascar, and Lystrophis, the
South American hognose snakes. Species
Genus Heterodon: Mexican hognose snake, Heterodon
kennerlyi Heterodon nasicus
Dusty hognose snake, Heterodon nasicus gloydi
Western or plains hognose snake, Heterodon nasicus nasicus
Eastern hognose snake, Heterodon platirhinos
Southern hognose snake, Heterodon simus Genus Leioheterodon:
Speckled hognose snake, Leioheterodon geayi
Malagasy giant hognose snake, Leioheterodon madagascariensis
Blonde hognose snake, Leioheterodon modestus
Genus Lystrophis: South American hognose snake, Lystrophis
dorbignyi Jan's hognose snake, Lystrophis
histricus Lystrophis matogrossensis
Tri-color hognose snake, Lystrophis pulcher
Ringed hognose snake, Lystrophis semicinctus
Description Hognose snakes' most distinguishing
characteristic is their upturned snout, which aids in digging in sandy soils by
using a sweeping, side to side motion. They also like to burrow in masses of
humus. Lieoheterodon species are known to dig up the eggs of lizards.
Hognose snakes are extremely variable in color and pattern. Heterodon nasicus and
H. kennerlyi tend to be sandy colored with black and white markings, while H.
platirhinos varies from reds, greens, oranges, browns, to melanistic depending
on locality. They are sometimes blotched and sometimes solid-colored.
Leiohetereodon geayi is a brown or tan colored snake with dark speckling on it.
Leioheterodon madagascariensis is typically green and yellow with a black
checkerboard pattern along its back. Leioheterodon modestus is normally a
gold-brown color. Some species in the genus Lystrophis are referred to as
tri-color hognose snakes and sometimes as false coral snakes because they
display alternating bands of red, white, and black.
Leioheterodon are the largest of the hognose snakes, capable of reaching
lengths of 1.8 m. Heterodon platirhynos gets slightly larger than other species
of the genus, reaching lengths of 80 cm, where other species in the genus as well
as Lystrophis species usually average around 65 cm at adult size.
Hognose snakes are rear-fanged. The fangs have been referred to as just
"enlarged teeth", but they are genuine fangs that are used for prey restraint.
Despite the common belief, there is no evidence to support the fangs being used
for "toad popping". Under this belief, the toads inflate their lungs to make
swallowing difficult, but the fangs would penetrate the lungs and deflate
them. However, whole toads with intact lungs are commonly regurgitated by
recently captured hognoses. Behavior
When threatened, hognose snakes will flatten their necks and raise their
heads off the ground, like a cobra, and hiss. They may sometimes feign strikes,
but Heterodon bites are extremely rare. This behaviour has earned them several
nicknames, such as "puff adder", "blowing adder", "flathead",
"spreadhead", "spreading adder" or "hissing adder". Note: the nickname
"puff adder" is only a nickname, and is not scientifically correct. There is a
highly venomous viper from Africa called the puff adder, Bitis arietans.
If this threat display does not work to deter a would-be predator, Heterodon
species will often roll onto their back and play dead, going so far as to emit a
foul musk and fecal matter from their cloaca and let their tongue hang out of
their mouth, sometimes accompanied by small droplets of blood. If they are
rolled upright while in this state, they will often roll back as if insisting
they really are dead. It has been observed that the snake, while appearing
to be dead, will still watch the threat that caused the death pose. The snake
will 'resurrect' sooner if the threat is looking away from it than if the threat
is looking at the snake. They are rather timid snakes and will
often hide from predators by burrowing down into leaves, sand etc.
Diet Heterodon are diurnal active foragers
that typically consume their prey live without any constriction or body
pinning, primarily relying on only their jaws to subdue their prey.
For most hognose snakes the bulk of the diet is made up by rodents, and lizards.
Heterodon platirhinos is an exception, and specializes in feeding on toads
although other food items such as eggs, insects and mice can make up as much as
50% of their diet. In captivity
Hognose snakes are frequently found in herpetoculture. Heterodon nasicus are
often considered to be the easiest to care for, and captive bred stock is
easily found. Heterodon platirhinos is also commonly found, but their dietary
requirements can be a challenge for some keepers, and there is anecdotal evidence
to suggest that feeding them a diet of exclusively rodents contributes to liver
problems and a shortened life span. Leioheterodon species are imported
regularly from Madagascar, and are not often bred in captivity and get much
larger, so can pose a set of different challenges for care. Lystrophis species
are fairly new to the commercial reptile trade, and are now commonly bred in
captivity, but can be some of the more expensive hognose snakes available.
Toxicity There has been some debate about whether
hognoses are venomous. Their saliva meets the definition of venom since it
is toxic to small prey such as frogs and toads; however, it is not likely to
cause serious injury to humans, particularly as hognoses are rear-fanged
and although they will generally feign a strike they will bite if they feel
threatened. In rare cases, humans may experience local swelling and blistering
as a result of a bite. Popular culture
The song "Copperline" by James Taylor contains the lyrics:
"Half a mile down to Morgan Creek, leaning heavy on the end of the week.
Hercules and a hognosed snake, down on Copperline, we were down on Copperline."
References External links
thehognosesnake.co.uk Hognose snakes are really important.
Hognose.com Dutch Breeder of colour mutations of
hognose, many pictures The European Molecular Biology
Laboratory Reptile Database *Western hognose snake Species account
from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide
*Eastern hognose snake Species account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian
Field Guide World of Hognose Website for color
mutations with pictures, breeders, and advice for the care of hognoses