Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What do these guys eat? I know they like toads and sometimes rodents. Can they live on feeder fish and some insects?

J.L.

Hognoses can thrive off of a diet of exclusively mice. I have two Eastern hognoses that will readily accept frozen minnows and I will supplement them occasionally. But to survive entirely off of a diet of fish and insects, I am sure that most people will agree is not the ideal situation. Ironically, if you are going to have a debate about the captive feeding of any snake, hognoses would certainly be at the top of the list. Although no one can conclusively say one way or the other, the information we do have tells us that rodents are a complete diet for the vast majority of pet snakes. If for some reason you have a problem with using mice (they don't have to be, nor should they be alive when you feed them to the snake), perhaps a garter snake would fit your needs best.
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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)

Oh, OK. What would their feeding scheduele(sp?) be??? Like how much, what, and when. Sorry. I've never really owned a snake before, but I really like this kind. What breed of hognose would you recommend for beginners?

J.L.

A western hognose is best for beginners. Specifically on that is captive bred and already feeding on f/t mice. Many breeders will have some hatching out in July and August. Good luck.

jeff

Western hognoses are good for Hognose beginners, but I would not recommend a Hognose for someone to has never kept a snake, and definitely not for someone who has never had a reptile before. Search through the forum and you'll see just how difficult it can be to keep a Hognose eating. There is a dangerous fine line between determining what is normal behavior for a Hognose, and what represents a pathogenic condition that requires veterinary care. Some of the techniques required to get a Hognose to eat go beyond the means of most people who are not experienced with snake captive care. It would be easier to start off with a snake that is notorious for being easy to keep such as a corn snake. I know of many people who have heads corn snake's that have never refused a meal. Remember, we are talking about the lives of animals that are completely dependent upon you for their every single need. Don't feel rushed to get the coolest snake out there, start off small and work your way up.
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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)

These are the pets I have now:

2 White's tree frogs
3 RES
1 Mississippi map
1 river cooter
2 green tree frogs
2 gray tree frogs
10 tropical fish( corys, swordtails, mollys, tetras)
6 hermit crabs
4 anoles
1 spring peeper
1 tiger leg monkey frog
1 unknown frog
1 stinkpot turtle
1 three striped mud
1 baby eastern box turtle
4 african dwarf clawed frogs
2 fire bellied toads
4 cats
2 chihuahuas

Yes, I've got my hands full!!!!
So, I've had some experience with herps. I've had more in the past!!

J.L.

I'm not a newbie here just a lurker and occasional poster. I have kept hognose, easterns in fact so I am well aware of their habits. The idea that a corn snake will get you ready to keep a hognose is just b.s. If you decide to get a hognose you will have to study up on them no matter when you get them. You will have to learn about scenting techniques, correct substrates, correct temperatures, etc. for the hognose and keeping a cornsnake will teach you absolutely nill about this. If you have your heart set on a hognose study up. If you can live up to the responsibility get one. If not, like he said get a corn or kingsnake. I noticed you have White's treefrogs. My eastern hognoses were switched to mice by scenting them with White's.

jeff

But you also have to remember that not all easterns are able to be switched over to mice. Some refuse to eat scented mice, and some refuse flat out to feed in captivity . They won't eat toads, frogs, mice, fish, caudata, or anything else that is offered. I feel that if he must have a hog, he should go for the western and the easterns should come later, IMO. Keeping a corn or some other snake might not exactly prepare him for the unique problems a hog can present, but it will at least give the keeper some experience with snakes period. Corns are, after all, a bit more forgiving than most snakes.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: thekingofproduct
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

"A yellow ribbon instead of a swastika. Nothin' proper about ya propaganda. Fools follow rules when the set commands ya. Said it was blue when ya blood was red. That's how ya got a bullet blasted through ya head"- Rage Against the Machine

I never made the claim that corn snakes will prepare you for having a Hognose, in fact nothing will! If reading and studying adequately prepared you for the experience of keeping a less than easy snake, then I have to ask why we insist on keeping animals in captivity and are not happy with just seeing them in the wild? The answer is that nothing beats the personal experience.

Along the same lines, choosing between starting off with a beginner snake or just relying on reading, I don't see how anyone could argue that starting off with a beginner snake is not worth the time. I don't know, perhaps I am the only one who holds the lives of animals in such high regard that I don't believe in taking unnecessary risks?

I would also like to point out that you cannot trust people to do all of the reading that is necessary to prepare them for keeping a Hognose. This has been very apparent to me over the last three or four years on this forum. Once they get the animal, most people will rarely take the time to look up any more information UNTIL there is a problem. Even then most people take the easy way out and just post the same questions over and over again on this forum instead of looking to the literature.

Those are the reasons why I recommend starting off with another snake, although this person in particular should be experienced enough to handle a Hognose.
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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 look in the search engines for info and all I get are breeder/sellers advertising...I can find care sheets, but read one read them all... I own 38 snakes of various species. I also have two hognose that I purchased as "late bloomers" In other words they are a year old...small for their age... and did not eat.
I got my answer here.. Someone told me to dip pinkies in tuna water...they have both eaten twice. Now they are in shed and have stopped.
I would like a "source of information"
And I'll tell you corns are not THAT easy as hatchlings...I have done everything from braining, scenting, assist feeding, to mushing up a pink with pedialite and putting it in a syringe.
So when everyone says Do your research...do your research..you can research until you are blue in the face, but things do not always go as planned, and you still have to ask questions and seek help from others.
If you want an eating machine get a Kingsnake.
Thanks
Nancy
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Some of my best friends are snakes
Snakes Rule

Well, I don't really want an eating machine, I like the hognoses. I just want a complete answer of what they eat!!!!

J.L.