Hognose

[sunset]

It has been over 3 months, probably closer to 4, since my hognose has eaten, he is not big at all, maybe about a foot, and as big around as my index finger, if that. I have tried all different shapes and sizes of mice, live, pre killed, and thawed. Will not touch anything. I know they hibernate, but this seems like a really long time for such a small snake to go withoug eating. Is there anything I can do? He is really small to try and forcefeed, and I hate to do that.

[Matt]

is it a male?
is he losing alot of weight?

[sunset]

No idea of sex, he is just starting to lose weight, he/she/it just shed yesterday, it was a good shed, all one big piece, like a sock, its got plenty of water, heat pad, light, theyre actually from around here, so I have been keeping it at about 78-85*,with a cave in the cool spot, jut a little warmer than what it is outside.

[Burmies]

If he is not losing any weight then I see no problem, but hope he eats soon.

Burmies

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

...One of the main diets for hognoses are Amphibians, such as frogs or toads, especially if its an eastern.
You may want to try that to get him back eating, or senting your rodents with a frog or toad..
Xain

[fr0glet]

I recommend scenting with a frog rather than feeding one. The reason for that is an amphibian is likely to carry parasites that could be easily transferred to your snake.

For scenting you can just put a thawed mouse in a jar with a frog for a few hours.

[SnowFoxx]

Feeding frogs or toads is not a good idea. Scenting should work *if* you have an eastern. Do you know what kind of Hog it is? Most will eat rodents rather than amphibians.

Having said that, Hognose are notorious for being picky eaters. Mine will not eat right now either. As long as s/he isn't losing weight, DON'T WORRY! It's very normal for them to fast, even as long as yours has. Keep trying, and eventually your little guy will eat!

- Victoria :w

[J_Riley]

I have seen hognose snakes starve to death rather than eat a rodent - most will eat rodents is an overstatement in my mind - some might be more accurate.

I'd rather feed it frogs (toads would be even better) and de-worm it (flagyl) every 6 months than trick it into eating rodents, but that's just me. I mean, they are geared to eating those specific food items. They've got rear fangs for puncturing the frogs/toads when they puff up. Something that normally eats warm blooded prey (but not rats) I'd have no problem tricking into eating rats, but I'd never try and get a vine snake to eat rodents, they're lizard eaters. Similarly with the hognose.

[Zoe]

Yes I agree... I bought a baby hognose a long time ago, tried everything to get it to eat, and it never did, and died. I wish I had known then that it probably would have taken an amphibian.

But as long as he isn't losing weight, I wouldnt worry too much, but I'd give a frog-scented mouse a shot.

Zoe

[SnowFoxx]

J Riley: I've seen the toad-punture theory before, and heard that there is no proof that the rear fangs are intended for that function. Rather than just biting and puncturing, Hognose "chew" on their prey, probably to realease small amounts of venom over a larger area, to numb the whole animal - since Hognose venom is very mild, and one shot of it won't paralize prey. Also, Hognose snakes are opportunistic eaters. Frogs and Toads do not make up their whole diet - even in the wild they eat rodents. Here is part of a really great article from www.hognose.com explaining all this:

***

"While some believe the primary purpose of these modified teeth in Heterodon is to puncture the air sacs of inflated toads, this seems unlikely and has not been recorded in the scientific literature. Moreover, studies of the diet of Western Hognosed snakes and other Xenodontids have failed to yield an explanation for the enlarged teeth where toads make up less than 50% of the overall diet.

According to studies conducted by numerous researchers and reported by Platt, throughout its range, amphibians made up 57% of the total diet while the rest consisted of reptiles and their eggs, birds, and mammals. Of the 57% of the amphibians consumed, approximately 88% were toads, representing only 50% of the total diet. In another study, amphibians made up 44% of the total diet (toads made up only 22% of the total) while reptiles and mammals accounted for 39% and 33% respectively. Curiously, Ruthven also reported instances where western hognosed snakes attempted to eat ornate box turtles.

Based on these and other studies, Western Hognosed Snakes in the wild feed on a variety of foods with toads making less than half of its total diet. Therefore, to say that the hognosed snake's rear teeth developed solely to deflate toads seems improbable.

Also, in contrast to Miller's assertion that the primary use of these fangs "...is to puncture the lungs of live prey (such as toads, their primary food item), thereby helping the snake to swallow large items," recent reports show that live toads have been regurgitated from the stomachs of Eastern hognosed snakes intact, without punctures or deflation of the air sacs...

The jaws of Heterodon are sufficiently strong enough to crush small prey while the enlarged rear teeth are large enough to cause extensive damage to the prey's internal organs and may result in massive hemorrhaging. Minton suggests the teeth are useful in holding struggling prey. From a size perspective, this seems logical. Where the prey is too large for the hognosed snake to subdue easily, large, rearward pointing teeth would facilitate holding the prey in place while the snake swallows it whole...

Anyone who has observed an American hognosed snake in the wild or in captivity has no doubt noted that these pudgy little snakes are slow moving and incapable of capturing most live prey through pursuit. Rather, they are, as Platt has noted, most likely ambush hunters as well as carrion eaters. Some Eastern and Southern Hognosed snakes have also been observed burrowing after toads in soft substrate to capture and eat toads. Of course, possessing the ability to deliver venom would of course add to the ability of the snake to capture and subdue prey.

Enlarged teeth may also facilitate the injection of a toxic substance into a prey item for the purpose of subduing it prior to ingestion. This is true for the large and powerful members of Crotalus as well as the more diminutive Micrurus Micruroides."

***

Just my $.02.

- Victoria :w

[J_Riley]

Yeah, I'm familiar with Dennis Desmond and his site.

And I'll agree to say no one has the 100% answer to their rear fangs. You'd think they'd have developed something else, perhaps enlarged frontal fangs to puncture a toad instantly rather than already on the way down. Perhaps I am perpuating a myth there...I would never assume a boomslang had developed rear fangs specifically for puncturing chams...Rear fangs seem to be for snakes that eat prey that weight wise are relatively large, to help immobolize said prey to perhaps prevent thrashing damage to the snake?

I could cut up the article above, but I really don't care enough to. If anyone wants to feed their hognose rodents, fill your boots. It's your snake, not mine. Just notice one thing in that article. EVERY reference is to Western hognoses, NOT EASTERN.

100- 57% = 43% split among 4 other groups: reptiles, eggs, birds and mammals. Split evenly, rodents would constitute 10.5% of a hognose's natural diet. That's enough in my mind to constitute a 100% captive rodent diet - sure.

[sunset]

Thank you all for the info! Mine is a western hognose. What kind of frog should I use to scent with? I have asian fire bellied toads, but I believe they are slightly toxic.

[J_Riley]

Try and find a species of frog/toad native to the western hognose, i.e. a north american species...a chorus frog would probably work, as well as a narrowmouth toad...

And most amphibians have toxic skin secretions to one degree or another, it's part of their defense mechanisms. Most amphibian eating species have developed a tolerance to naturally occuring species in their range, but the same most likely isn't true of something not native to them.