Its my experience they normally are predetermined to feed on a range of prey items. Not a single item. As they become successful, will learn to specialize in that prey item, on a timely basis.



There indeed are snakes that are very very prey specialized. Hognose are not one of them. Hognose are not snail eating snakes that have extreme adaptions for such, or even some egg eating snakes. Hogs do feed on a wide range of prey items. Wider then many of what we call normal species.



Take pits. They are bird, rodent feeders, that include lizards when they are neonates. They never or rarely consume fish or amphibs. Many ratsnakes are the same, but they not only include lizards as neonates but will take frogs as well.



Hogs consume, amphibs, rodents, reptiles and their eggs and birds and their eggs. And earthworms.



I don't know what to say about your opinion that different members of one clutch are preditermined to feed on different prey items. It seems your thoughts are captivity based. If thats the case, then I understand how you can think that.



The problem is, these animals genetics are nature based(at this time)



Its my experience that will snakes are oppertunity based. That is, they hone in on what they have success finding. They are so adapt at this its amazing. I have tested this over and over with wild snakes.



I am still of the opinion that are husbandry is problematic and its so easy to see. In total fact, what we offer is a tiny slice of what they use in nature. So its very easy for me to see that what we recieve is only a tiny slice of their abilities in nature.



There is a simple test, Take your well feeding snakes and drop the temps a little at a time. What results, they slow down feeding, become picky, then stop feeding. What happens if you go the other way, They feed more and more aggressively, then once it gets too hot, stop and if you keep going, die. Remember too cold also kills them.



The reality is, neither heat or cold alone is what supports them, its the combination of the two.



Yet in captivity, its rare for anyone to test heat. Heat is good, as long as you have cool. Heat alone, is like cold alone, it sucks then kills. only heat kills quicker.



Anyway, I came here to see if there was any information available. Which means, I am not experienced.



So far, I have seen about 70 neonates in the field, and of that seventy, one consumed a toad(green toad) and 17 consumed lizards(eastern scelops and lesser earless) Of course, That information was not all inclusive(scientific) as I did not flush stomachs. If they gave it up, then I could tell, or palpate.



Of the adults, none have obvious bolus. Most were fairly skinny to average, none were real bad and none were really fat and healthy.



I was out yesterday and found tracks of one(got pics). And a dead box turtle with hognose food basking on it(eastern fence lizard)( got pics) Lots of lizards were active. no snakes of any kind.



Anyway, best wishes, oh I have not read your last reply

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