western hognosed snake care and questions

[neubauer geckos]

hello there,i have been considering multiple snakes as my first snake,and i have narrowed it down to a kenyan sand boa,a ball python,and a western hog nosed snake.the other two are popular pets,and i have found a lot of info on them,but i have had little luck finding consistant info on them.

my first and most important question is how do i care for them?and how big do they get?how big of cage does 1 adult need?are they handlable?how bad is the venom they have?i know they're rear fanged,but what are the side effects of one of these chewing in the venom?

thanks for any help!i am intrigued by snakes,especially rattle snakes(though it's not legal to keep this in CA,and i am not old enough),and hognoses look alot like rattlers.thanks again!

 

[Gregg M]

hello there,i have been considering multiple snakes as my first snake,and i have narrowed it down to a kenyan sand boa,a ball python,and a western hog nosed snake.the other two are popular pets,and i have found a lot of info on them,but i have had little luck finding consistant info on them.

Sand boas are just about the most boring, inactive snake you can get and they are usually very snappy and quick to bite...

Ball pythons are cool and come in all kinds of morphs... They are a pretty good beginner snake and an all around great snake to keep for any experience level...

Hognose snakes are by far my favorite of the 3 you mentioned... They are very active, uninclined to bite, they do not get huge, and are very easy to care for...

my first and most important question is how do i care for them?and how big do they get?how big of cage does 1 adult need?are they handlable?how bad is the venom they have?i know they're rear fanged,but what are the side effects of one of these chewing in the venom?

They are very easy to keep... They like it dry and hot... They DO NOT require a humid hide to aid in shedding... The only time a humidified box should be introduced is if you have a gravid female... offer a very small water dish...

You want to keep them with a hot spot of 92 degrees and a cool ambient temp in the low 80s...

They eat a lot... I feed my hogs every third day... So if I feed Monday, and will feed again on Thursday... They have a very high metabolism and digest their intake rapidly when kept properly...

You can use shredded aspen as a bedding... It stays dry and the hognose snake can burrow in it well... You do not need a hide for them as they will use the substrate as cover...

And adult can be housed in a 10 gallon cage... You can give them a 20 gallon if you like... It is better to keep them in small bins or rack draws especially when they are young... They feel more secure in tighter spots...

They are very easy to handle... They normally have great dispositions and will almost never actually bite in defence... I have been bitten a few times and it was almost always due to a feeding reponce... I do have one male who is particularly bitey... That is very rare though...

Do not be put off by the fact that they are a rear fanged species... Their venom is of no threat to humans... The worst that can happen is you could have a swollen hand for a day... Personally I have had no reaction to their bites... I had one hanging on my finger for close to 3 minutes... All I had to show for it was a finger with a bunch of holes in it... LOL... No real swelling or pain...

It is important that you buy one from a very reliable source... Besides myself, there is a guy on this forum named Brad Chambers who breeds hognose snakes... I have 4 hognose snakes from him... I could not be more happy with the quality of the animals I got from him... They are great eaters, fast growers and have amazing coloration... They are also some of the tamest snakes in my collection...

Hope this helps you out and good luck...

 

[neubauer geckos]

Thanks!this helps a lot!it's between the BP and the hog nosed.

 

[neubauer geckos]

would you reccomend a BP or a hognosed for a first time snake owner.i want the one that will be the most handleable and intresting.

 

[thegeckoguy23]

Boy GreggM you should make a care sheet

 

[neubauer geckos]

How handlable are hog noses?are they very active?

 

[neubauer geckos]

Sorry,didn't see you already answered the handlable question.so how active are they?

 

[Timothy]

Hey I would go with the Ball Python for a starter snake man, Hognose's are an awesome snake, but if you've never been the owner of a snake, I suggest sticking with the Ball python, or a Corn, rat, or king.

My first snake was Corn, he was awesome, never once did he get nippy with me, he was active ( when he felt like it ) and took to handling well.

I now have a Normal Ball python, and so far so good, he tolerates handling, he eats F/T mice like a champ. All in all a good snake.

but nevertheless its up to you mate.