The amazing hognose snake: Actor, Illusionist, Killer!

It’s hard to decide what the most interesting thing about these incredible animals is. Is it their amazing ability to play dead? Is it their impressive number of color and pattern morphs or is it the fact that at least one person has succumbed to their toad-specific venom? The diminutive Hognose Snake is found in North America, Central America, South America and Madagascar. There are three Genera that make up the small group of snakes known for their up-turned rostral scale used in the act of rooting in dirt and leaf litter that gives these animals their common name of hognose.

Finding the Right Hognose Snake for Sale

The morph aspect of the animals found in the pet trade is isolated to the Western Hognose Snake Heterodon nasicus. This is due to their affinity for a rodent based diet and the growing number of brightly colored mutations in this Genus. Most people looking to find a hognose snake for sale will come across the byproduct of the country’s top breeders as the true collector snakes can fetch upwards of $5000. There has also been a recent influx of a few hognose morphs from European breeders. I personally had the great experience of finding three gravid female Eastern Hognose snakes in my backyard but after hatching the beautifully colored black and gold babies I decided that the best future for them was out in the woods around my property.

The Albino Western Hognose and Morphs

As more and more keepers find the joy of raising and breeding hognose snakes it becomes evident that the beauty, ferocious attitude and conniving ability to play dead makes these little guys one of the most interesting snakes out there. There are few snakes as beautiful as the anaconda phase or red phase albino western hognose snakes. Although there has been a case of a biologist dying from the rear fanged hognose snake it has been explained as an allergic reaction that was ignored as the bitten scientist sat and recorded his symptoms instead of getting medical attention. At xyzReptiles we always recommend caution when handling any snake especially if you are considering a hognose as your next purchase. Please take a moment to look through our Hognose Snake category and see if there’s anything there that catches your interest.