Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is the picture I promised of the leucistic eastern hognose. Unfortunately the quality is very poor, but you can still tell that it is a leucistic hognose. Apparently this snake was found just outside of Chesterton, Indiana on September 8, 1975 by a student in a herpetology course at Purdue University Calumet. The photo was taken by Dr. Robert Werth, the professor of this class. The date of capture would make it the first record of leucism in any Heterodon species to my knowledge. Unfortunately the snake was given to the student's kid to keep as a pet. Between the fact that the snake was given to a child to care for it, and the fact that it has been nearly 30 years since its capture, it is very unlikely that this snake is still with us today. I still think it's an interesting story, and I thought I'd share it with all of you.

Geary

I'm pretty sure there are some leucisitic Western Hognoses. I saw them on the classifides awhile back. Still, it's probably the first leucisitic Eastern. Chesterton, that's not too far from me. I'll have to go out herping there!
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James

From everything I'be been able to find, the leucistic western wasn't found until 1999. Since this one was found in 1975, I'm pretty sure it is the first record of a leucistic hognose. Also, since one was found around here (NW Indiana), it means the individuals with the leucistic genes might still be around, and there is a chance of finding another one in the area. That is of course unless they've been killed off by all the development in the area over the last 3 decades.

Geary

You’re probably right that that was the first Leucisitic Hognose discovered. I might go to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to see if I can find some hognose. I forget, but I think they made it illegal to catch reptiles in Indiana. I know that's how it is in Michigan, but I don't think they are as strict here. I got that DNR book somewhere with all the laws, I’ll look it up. Thanks for sharing.
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James

I would NOT recommend looking for snakes or any other living creature in the National lakeshore boundaries. It is considered poaching, and they will punish you if you're caught. I know for sure in the state parks it is a fine ($100-500 I think), but in a national park it is probably even more severe. Technically, it's illegal to turn over a rock in the park. So, by all means go find some hognose snakes, but don't do it in the boundaries of any of the parks.

Geary

Yeah, I just looked it up last night. Thanks for the warning though. You’re supposed to have a hunting license to collect, I guess, unless it’s private property, then you don't. It's just like fishing. With a limit of 4 reptiles as long as long as they are not threatened or endangered. I’ll look up some areas that I may be able to find some. But if I get some and I can’t get them to eat scented I’ll probably forget about it and turn them loose where I found them.
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James

I grew up in LaPorte Indiana (very near chesterton) and we had easterns in our yard all summer long and you could hardly walk out in the woods without finding a few.
in the last three years of hard searching we have found two.
its the developers and the kids on the four wheelers that have destroyed the awesome wood land and duneland areas of northern Indiana.
those little toys are so destructive, the woods near my mothers home has been turned up as if it were roto tilled.
its really sad.
wouldnt it be awesome to have a lucy Hog found here!
God Bless
Chris
Hoosier Reptiles

Your right about there being Leucistic western's.I collected the female that produced the first pair of Leucistic H.n.nasicus.She was collected gravid in late April '98.Shortly afterward's she laid 5 egg's producing 1.1 Leucistic and 0.3 het for leucistic one of the female hets being totally hypomelanistic.Since then I've produced three generation's with over 10 leucistic's....so far.Brook@ Berntson Professional Herpetoculture