Hognose?

[staceyd]

I'm thinking about getting a Hognose at the local reptile show in a couple weeks, but I'm having a little trouble finding decent info about them. I have heard that they can be one of the "harder" snakes to own, but would it be a bad idea for a first time snake owner to get one? I've got plenty of years in keeping lizards, but I have never kept a snake.

Are the western ones supposed to be easier to keep? I remember one of the common species was mainly a toad eater and could be hard to get to eating mice.

I'm not even sure if there will be one at the show, but if there is I would like to be fully prepared to get one if it will work out well for me.

[bsharrah]

Western Hognose is a good starter snake. Just don't get a hatchling that isn't established. Find one eating f/t mice. The Eastern Hognose is the toad eater and not very common at shows. In general, keeping W. Hognose is much like corns and kings.

Good luck,
Bart

[Styx]

I haven't actually owned one before but my friend bought a yearling CB western hognose already feeding on mice and she never had any problems with it.

I'm looking into getting some CB Melanistic eastern hognose from the only breeder I've found in the US in August, I've owned quite a few frog/toad eating species, and based on those I do prefer to buy animals already switched. It can be extremely difficult to switch a snake that isn't already willing to accept rodents at a young age. I had a year old Solomon Island Ground Boa (also a frog/toad/lizard eating species) and I never got her to even strike at a rodent and I tried EVERY trick in the book.

Based on my research, I've read numerous account of rodent eating eastern hogs dying young, possibly due to fatty liver disease from being overfed. I haven't heard of that problem being so extensive in westerns. The breeder I've contacted doesn't have that issue with his eastern hognose, and he also says it's from overfeeding.

As I said, I've not owned hognose before, but I thought I'd at least pass on what I've found out. So if someone can refute any of this and has kept them, definately take that advice over mine.

[johncampbell]

I got my first hognoses in 2003 a pair of normal western hognoses I really like them the male I have does fast when the weather gets cool I brumate them even though I have never bred them before. If you ever looking to get a python get a jungle they make great pets and are usually docile once they get some age and size on them but it just depends on the snake. I will be breeding jaguar carpet pythons in the next year or two.


John

[staceyd]

I ended up picking up a Western Hognose yesterday at the local show. All that was there for hogs were young neonates, but the vendor told me that they were being fed small pinkies with no issues. I got one of the larger males that he had available from that hatch and so far he seems to be doing okay. The only question I have on him right at the moment is how long should I wait to try feeding him?

[Kitishane]

Treat him like any new reptile you get in.

Leave him alone (no handling, fussing etc.) for about a week, if not two. Make sure he has easy access to water, some hiding spots, and a quietish area to get used to his new home.

[staceyd]

I've got him in a 10g tank with a small bag of aspen snake bedding for substrate, one of those half log hides, and a large water bowl. I think im going to add a rock or something to it for a basking area (since rock holds heat better than the log). For heat I have a 50w basking spotlight. The tank is in my bedroom, and because of all my fish tanks it says around 75*. The basking area gets to about 85-90*.

I usually leave my cresties be for a week when it comes to handling, but I still feed them. I was just a little concerned about how long this little guy can go without food.

[Kitishane]

Snakes can go a while without food. I wouldn't feed him during his settling in phase.