he proceeded to roll around like an alligator with the mouse in his mouth.

I've definitely witnessed that several times in my collection, including just a couple of nights ago. I wouldn't say that I see it as a repeated reaction with any particular individual(s). Considering that Western Hognose are not constrictors, it just appears to be something that is an inherent behavior that they pull out of their hats when they feel it necessary.

Do any of your hogs do weird/interesting things?

Hm, where to start?

I have some individuals that completely hate the smell of rats (pinkies). When I put one in, they literally jump out of the tub as if they themselves were in boiling water. Yet I have other individuals who gobble them down without any thought.

I had a week old neonate fling musk 2 feet away into my face. Talk about aim! Fortunately I didn't get any in my eyes or mouth.

I have certain psychotic individuals that will get a mouthful of a mouse, then if I make any kind of exciting (to them) movement, they'll spit out the mouse and come lunging after me instead, as if I'm tastier than that cruddy ol' mouse.

Nothing is more sad than seeing an 80 gram male locked into a 350 gram female and she decides to race around the tub and he thinks he can pull of surfboarding and then falls off and gets dragged around by his hemipenes. OUCH!

Of course I love it when freshly hatched neonates play dead in your hand and then lift their head up and see if you are paying attention to them. Nothing is more cute than that. Too bad after a week or two they learn they no longer need that trick, flinging musk is far more effective at discouragement!

I have a couple of individuals who'll take a mouse in their mouths and then just cruise around the tub trying to find that one place of solitude where they can eat in peace.

It's because Western Hognose are so odd that I've fallen in love with them and that they've dominated my collection for many years now. I'm hooked!


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Troy Rexroth
Rextiles

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