Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone, just got my baby western saturday, hes been a handfull! I was wondering if they all put on the intimidation act and hiss and puff up and strike. Mine does when i try and pick him up sometimes, and once randomly when i was holding him when i was cleaning the water that spilt when i had to shift the cage a little bit. I heard they were really laid back, is it just because he/she's young or is mine gonna always be a feisty one?
heres a pic of him, i need to get body shots of him, and pics so i can get some help sexing him/her

Hoggies definitely can have an attitude! It's part of the fun with them! But with lots of constant handling they should mellow out and get used to it.

Its just that i had heard from others they are great and laid back and stuff. Im not angry about him being grumpy sometimes, it just makes me jump a lil when he false-strikes haha. Certainly more fun than my corn snake was haha. I do hope he settles down some though, my mom was lookin at him and looked away, and turned her head back real quick and he hissed and puffed up and scared her. not a good thing when i want more snakes haha

I tried picking him up today, and its really upsetting me. I got a hognose cause i heard from everyone they're gentle, and now im learning otherwise... i got a snkae i could take out now and then, but i tried to pick him up today and no matter what he strikes and hisses.... i had to use gloves to pick him up, and even then he kept striking and jerking. I know if he does bite it wont hurt, he's so small, but its just... urg.

Most baby snakes act this way for awhile, simply cause they're young and that's their natural defense! Look at your size compared to theirs? Sometimes you gotta remember, they're WILD animals!

I know, i just switched out his log in the cage for a wood drift wood kinda thing ive had and wanted to see if he liked the whole hollow drift wood or the pices put together..... and the lil guy was completely fine. 20 minutes ago he was in super intimidate mode! very strange creature haha. Once i get used to the grumpyness when he's in the cage and it doesnt make me jump as much ill be fine, i do hope he calms down some though

This is one of the reasons most people find them so fascinating. It a personality thing. Unlike most snakes, hognose actually have one. Hognose will hiss, strike, puff up and put on a huge show. Its their only defence!!! I love that about mine and never want them to stop. You shouldn't let it upset you, its completely harmless and down right funny at times. I have never heard of a hognose biting out of aggression. When they strike, its always with a closed mouth and usually in the wrong direction. Don't take this the wrong way, but if you are getting upset by this, you may be better off selling him and getting a more calm species until you get more comfortable handling snakes. A ball python might be a better choice at this point.

My $.02

Jon

I have a corn snake and and have kept others before, and i was looking for something different... I knew about their attitudes, i was just shocked at how in your face it can get haha. Im mainly still paranoid about getting bitten, even though its highly unlikely. I love him though, really fun to watch. scares the living daylights out of my parents though. Thanks for the advice and facts everyone Im gonna try and get pics of his tail for sexing later, still debating if hes a boy or not, so im gonna play it safe and ge other opinions.

You always have to keep in mind any animal you get might not be the norm. hogs will definitely calm down easily. but even my calmest still have their moments. they seem to randomly get spooked. as for biting they really dont bite. I have been bitten several times, but they all seemed to just be a feeding response. i have never been bitten after making sure they know i dont have food. the bites dont hurt at all really. i would rather be bitten by 20 hogs than an ant. im sure you will grow to love the attitude, its like a harmless little fat cobra.

YOU HAVE IN FACT MADE A GOOD CHOICE.