Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I'm new to posting, and new to hognoses in general. I've had "Piglet" for a little over a year and a half. I got him as a hatchling, maybe 5 or 6 weeks old; old enough to eat well, but still in the coin-size range. Anyway, he's always eaten great, but for about 9 months, he went through a non-eating phase, where he was asking for 1 pinky a month. (Okay, I'm not the hognose whisperer, but I know when he's hungry--he comes out with this look on his face, and sure enough, when presented with an offering, he gulps it down.) So, now he is asking for 1 fuzzy every 3 days or so. My question is this: should I limit how much I'm feeding him, or just allow him full access to fodder? He is about a foot and a half long, and about 3/4 to an inch wide. Compared to the full-grown males, which I can compare to a banana (short and stubby), he is still long and thin. He looks more like a garter snake's physique. Don't get me wrong--he is a fully fleshed out, a well-fed, healthy little fellow.

But now I am worried about over-feeding him. My previous snake was a greedy female corn, who never turned up her nose at anything mousy. Anyway, I just adore my hognose, and want him to be healthy, and growing, but not fat.

THanks for bearing with me on this long, long query, but as I have my little snake's best interest, I figure someone will offer up their opinion...

HoggyMomma

I would limit the food intake. Since Hoggies are not "natural" mouse eaters, they quite often suffer from issues corrasponding with overfeeding. I like to let them poo, and then wait 2-3 days for them to really start hunting. This insures they get some "exercise" on a regular basis. While I like to hold them, they are much more comfortable on the ground, so I try not to stress them out to much.
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"The beatings will continue until morale improves!"

Hi

Yes let them poo, and then wait for a couple of days.
Sometimes you let them eat all they can, and at other times you only give them 1 singel mouse.

Has anyone here tryed to feed there Hognoses with birds?? I´m thinking on small birds?

Regards

Thomas
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4,5 Heterodon nasicus
1,1 Philodryas baroni
0,0,6 Testudo marginata
0,0,2 Testudo hermanni boettgeri

I am pretty sure AC has fed some of his chicks. I think it was a mexican hog. I think they are fine every now and then. Probably good if you need to get some weight back on.
Nick

Hi

I mean a "FINCH" ( I think is´t called)

Like this one...

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4,5 Heterodon nasicus
1,1 Philodryas baroni
0,0,6 Testudo marginata
0,0,2 Testudo hermanni boettgeri

I second Jenea's statement. Generally, most of the health issues in captive herps are nutrition related. Namely, too much food and not enough vitamins and minerals. Some of the research I've been involved with has shown that hogs are especially susceptible to overfeeding. YOU WILL NEVER STARVE A HOG TO DEATH, so I rarely feed any healthy adult snake more than once a week. And from what I've seen on this forum, if you think you are overfeeding, you are. Good luck!
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Virginia Herping
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VaHS
Virginia Herpetological Society online store
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"The irrational fear of snakes is the only excuse a grown man has... to act like a complete sissy" - Colchicine