Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just bought a baby Western Hog about a week ago. I left him in his tank a few days with out handling him. Last night I lifted up his cave to take him out and automatically went into a defense pose, hissing and stricking with a closed mouth. He was hissing LOUD too. I continued to pick him up and he calmed down while in my hand. How long will it take until this behavior stops. I tried to feed him a day after I got him and he did not eat. How long should I wait until I try to feed him again? Thank you.

Hello!

I have three Heterodon n. nasicus (Western hogs) and they hissing loud every time I open their cage to do something. I think they never stop with this behavior!
When my snakes won't eat I'll wait some days or maybe a week before I will try to feed them again!

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One of my females that I have had since March still hisses and displays every time I go near her. My wife just adores her, so she is probably handled more than any of my others, yet she shows no sign of ever letting up. Another female I purchased at the same time hissed some at first but is now an absolute sweetheart. Most of my westerns are very calm, but they all have hissed and displayed at me one time or another. You just never know how an individual will turn out..
As for feeding, I wait a week or two before I try to feed again if they refuse food. No point wasting mice.

Good luck with your little guy. Even if he is always nasty, he will still be a joy to be around.

Jim

They may never stop hissing. Some display more than others. I had one western that immediately upon crawling out of it's egg, began hissing and turned over on it's back to play dead. In the seven years since, she has never done that again. But she still hisses and strikes. But that's part of the charm.

I agree that is part of their charm. In fact I try to limit handling of mine so as to PRESERVE his hissing and cobra pose! But even after he calms down in my hand I can usually provoke his antics by wiggling my fingers in front of him and very lightly tapping him on the nose. (I don't do this all the time so no need for comments about psychological harm I am afflicting upon him please). But actually I think stimulating them ocassionally is good for them. It's not like they live in a stress-free padded cell in the wild!

Sometimes I can see my hatchlings play dead one or two time after they hatch and then I will normaly not see them to do that again. It's seems they give up that behavior in their beginning of ther life in capitivity. In the wild I think they try this more often!

--- Macke ---

It's funny, for a harmless snake his defense pose, hissing and stricking is quite intimidating. I got him from a pet shop around my way. I trust this pet shop because I have purchased animals from there without having any problems with them. When they took him out of the tank to let me handle him he was very calm. I think it's just his new environment. But the hissing is cool. It just wouldn't be cool if I were dealing with a Black Mamba LOL! I'll post pics of the lil guy soon!