Western Hognose Behavior Change and Biting

[Andy_G]

This is not defensive/startled/stress related behaviour for the species. It is a feeding response bite.

I must note that a female hognose, if fed properly, is ready for fuzzies at around 4 to 6 months of age, so you should definitely be feeding her more. At a little over a year old females are usually ready for hopper mice, but yours may not be due to the fact that she's still being offered pinkies. Some hognose have such a feeding response that they will bite anything out of hunger. I would advise buying a mini snake hook to tap her head gently with whenever you will handle her. I would also feed her in her own enclosure, as a separate feeding enclosure does little good for keeper or kept.

In short: up the feeding, get a small snake hook, and don't move her to feed her.