Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I'm new to this forum. I just had a few questions regarding Southern & Eastern Hognose snakes. I Live in central Florida. I Remember catching Southern hogs growing up. & have caught and released a few Easterns Lateley. I was wondering if there are any permits needed to Catch & or Posses these snakes. I know in some states it is illegal to even touch them. does anyone know about Florida. I breed many American Colubrids, Including Corns, Kings, & Milks. & would like to get into hogs. I know W/C isn't really the way to go. But they are fairly abundant in my area. It wouldn't hurt to have a few. Any info would help tremendously. Thanks.
Steve.

Oh. by the way. Are they a hard species to keep? Are they as hardy as the Lampropeltis or Elaph species?
Thaks again.

No permit in FL unless you plan to sell. Are they hard to keep....nope, but it takes time and effort to convert them to a rodent diet. If you don't want to convert, then be prepared to deal with parasites and vet bills (yes, I learned the hard way)
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

Ok. Awesome.Thanks for the info. My girlfriends mom claims she saw what she described as a solid black eastern hog, In her garden. I havent made it out to her house yet to try to find it. I will probably set one of my Funnel traps up for it. I normally use a live mouse to bait it. Being how they don't really have a rodent diet. what would the be the best thing to use to bait it? a toad maybe?
thanks again.
Steve

Yes, a toad.
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

Here's my two cents, not knowing 1/2 as much as the others here.

First, since you know and seem to appreciate w/c's not the way to go, find out if Hognose *are*, in fact, of no special concern in your area/state. Then go from there.

I wanted an Eastern. Breeders of Easterns are not as common as those that breed Westerns and so am going with a Western. Too, *here* - in MN - the diet of Easterns is mostly toads. They do eat other things but toadies are their fav. Since I've no means of having a toad farm this was another push towards Westerns. Now, Easterns will eat rodents but that's not their mainstay in nature. And I did read on The 'Net that it is SUSPECTED that maybe a diet of strictly rodents may lead to fatty liver disease in Easterns. I cannot confirm or deny this info and that's all I know about what I read.

There you go. My two cents on Easterns - which I think are WAY CUTER than Westerns - and why I chose not to get one.

Thank you. Those were all very good points. I Probably wont go out looking for one. But if i do happen to stumble across one I may possibly keep it.I'm still kinda partial. I'm going to research the rodent diet thing though. If that is indeed true. I will just forget about it. I could catch toads around here all day, year round. But then I would be risking parasites. I don't need to risk the health of any of my other snakes. so. I don't know. I may just stick with my kings & milks & what-not. possibly get a western.
anyway. thanks man.

RE Fatty Liver Disease

See my recent post
Click here for the link

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Virginia Herping
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VaHS
Virginia Herpetological Society online store
http://www.cafepress.com/vaherpsociety

"The irrational fear of snakes is the only excuse a grown man has... to act like a complete sissy" - Colchicine

I just think its kinda strange how you never see adult ltc Easterns for sale. I feed mine toads and havent had any problems. I gave a buddy two of my Easterns and he converted them to rodents, one has since died. I dont know if it was because of the rodents, but I havent had any problems with mine. As far as parasites, theyre eating toads in the wild, why not feed them toads in captivity? They may get parasites, but everything has parasites. A snake that is healthy and well kept shouldnt have an overload of parasites. Good luck on which ever you choose to feed.