Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been looking into getting my first Hognose. I friend of a friend has a pair of Het Piebalds and I am very excited to see what the babies will look like, but I know I would not be able to afford one. Albinos are still out of my price range. I love the TriColors and am going to continue researching them in hopes of obtaining one someday. I handled a 2-3 year old Blonde Malagasy today and was very impressed by him. He is at a local pet store (one that's pretty good with their reptiles). My friend who works there opened the enclosure to take him out. He immediately reared up with full hood. I read that the Malagasy Hognoses have relatively small hoods. If that was small I'd like to see a Western hood up. He struck out at her when she reached in, but didn't actually bite. As soon as she picked him up he relaxed and was fine being handled. They actually have had him there for 2 years, nobody seems to want him. The hooding and striking might be a bit intimidating. He has been eating well, although he seems small to me. They have been feeding him one small f/t mouse per week. He looks to be in good overall health. They were asking $130 for him but have marked him down to $100. Same price as their baby Westerns which are cute as all get out. I came close to bringing him home tonight but wanted to read up on them first.

I am a bit alarmed at what I've read so far. The Malagasy's are totally unrelated to our American Hognoses. Just a coincidence they developed the same shaped faces I guess, based on their habitats and eating habits. That wasn't what alarmed me of course. I am concerned over the description on Hognose.com. It mentions the venom being more toxic than Westerns, and that they are more prone to biting and chewing unlike the Westerns. Also that besides swelling and bleeding, you could get local paralysis from a bite. How dangerous are these little guys? Has anyone here ever been bitten, or know of anyone who has? If I were to get him, and he bit me, would I need to go to the hospital, or would it heal up ok on it's own? I'm afraid going to the hospital could lead to bad snake publicity and we sure don't need that here in NY. We are facing enough problems with them trying to ban every reptile under the sun right now. He sure is a nice little snake (once he's out of his enclosure).

Please let me know if the $100 price is reasonable, and how bad a bite would be if he did bite. Any other info you think I should know (good or bad) would be greatly appreciated too. Thanks!

Here is a pic of me and my Python "Bear". (He gives great Bear Hugs!)

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www.LynsLair.com
4.8 Leopard Geckos
(Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Buttercup, Nala, Mystique, Jewel, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Princess)
1.0 Carpet Python
(Bear)
5.1 Ferrets
(Wolf, Shadow, Roland, Verdell, Boo, Sullivan)
0.1 Cat
(Mia)
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog (Coming Soon)
(Trevor)
1.0.5 Assorted Tropical Fish
(Nemo, Whiskers, Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Mo)

I really do not have any specific information on the species in question. However, if I were you in the same position, the information you have found would not stop me from getting the Hognose. In my opinion, carelessness gets you bitten, not necessarily the temperament of the snake. If you happen to be deathly allergic to bees stings or other insect bites, you may want to reconsider.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

I have been stung by a bee before. I was walking barefoot and got stung on my little toe. It hurt like the dickens, felt like my toe was on fire, but only local pain and no bad allergic reaction. I am pretty good at "reading" snakes and avoiding situations that would provoke a snake bite. It did hood and strike when reached for, but didn't actually bite, and he hasn't bitten anyone in the two years he's been at the store. Of course he has not been handled much. I don't anticipate being bitten, just wanted to know if you could treat a bite at home without going to the hospital for the shots recommended on Hognose.com.

I am used to dealing with agressive snakes (I don't feel the hognose is agressive) and working to avoid bites. I rescued a beautiful Colombian Boa once. The people who owned it were afraid of it. They would throw a towel over it's head to pick it up and then only hold it behind the head. They were feeding it live mice. When I went to the house they did the towel thing, then handed me the snake. I had hold of it's body and he tried to hand me his head and the towel. I said just let go of him. If he bites he bites. He let go, jumped back, and threw the towel at me. I let the towel drop on the floor and the snake was fine. I walked around their house for almost 1/2 an hour with the poor thing glued to my arms cutting off the circulation. He'd been abused by the owners who had him before, they had tried to rescue him but couldn't handle his temperament. I knew I could not keep a full grown Boa, but did take him on a temporary basis. I worked on handling him and switched him from live mice to f/t rats, then found him a good home. He thankfully never did bite me. He was a good size snake and I'm sure it would not have been pleasant. I'm hoping since I was able to avoid being bit by an agressive snake who was prone to biting, that I'll be able to avoid being bit by this snake who does not seem agressive. And as long as home treatment would be ok if I failed, then I would like to get the Hognose.

Here is a pic of the Boa. This was his reaction whenever you walked anywhere near his enclosure in the beginning. He did get better during the months I had him.

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www.LynsLair.com
4.8 Leopard Geckos
(Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Buttercup, Nala, Mystique, Jewel, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Princess)
1.0 Carpet Python
(Bear)
5.1 Ferrets
(Wolf, Shadow, Roland, Verdell, Boo, Sullivan)
0.1 Cat
(Mia)
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog (Coming Soon)
(Trevor)
1.0.5 Assorted Tropical Fish
(Nemo, Whiskers, Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Mo)