Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I have a baby wild caught hognose (not sure if it's Western or Eastern). He won't eat rodents even if they are bathed in frog slime and he won't eat frozen frogs (he wants his food to hop so it has to be alive). I want to put him into hibernation this winter because I don't have enough live frogs to last through the winter. Any tips on how to do this? What bedding materials should I use? What temps should I stay away from and what temperatures should I keep him under? I have a barn that stays cold in the winter, there are domestic mice (feeder mice) in there so it stays above the freezing point but it is still cold. I wanted to put him in there, is there a certain way I should accumulate him to the cold temperature? Also, how long should I wait before putting him into hibernation? He had a frog tied to a pinkie last Saturday and I don't know how long it takes for a meal like that to completely work through their system. With my dad’s tropical snakes it’s about a week but the hognose is used to a much different climate.

~Seij

Definitely do NOT hibernate that snake! First of all, why don't you know what species it is? It is essential to know what species of animal you have before making an attempt care for it in captivity. If it will only eat frogs, PERIOD, I'm guessing its an eastern. It would most likely die if you hibernated it, but it sounds like anything would die in the barn. If mammals live in it, it could easily be WAY below healthy brumating temps for a snake. Wild caught eastern hogs generally do not thrive in captivity. I don't want to lecture you, but you shouldn't have kept a snake you felt you were unable to properly care for (not enough frogs) it is your responsibility to supply it with enough amphibians to last it through the winter, and release it in the spring. if you really really want a hognose for a pet, find a captive bred WESTERN hognose snake, which usually makes a hardy captive even for beginners, and should eat rodents with no problem. If the hog has been eating all frogs, its likely that its not fat and healthy enough to brumate, even in a safe brumating environment. When in doubt, always do what is best for the SNAKE, not what is most convenient for you. Sometimes its hard, but the snake is helpless, and he cant do anything to help himself. good luck...
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- Happy herping!

KE

The reason I don't know its species is because I forgot. I looked it up when I first got him but never really cared that much to remember it. I looked him up again and its an Eastern hognose. I've had him since last spring and have fed him frogs with mice tied to them with a small piece of thread. He is pretty fat, I've been feeding him a lot lately and he eats really well. I collected enough frogs for the winter but I had to let them go because my parents wouldn't let me buy food to keep the frogs alive. They told me it was a waste of money because I wouldn't be able to find food small enough for the frogs. What /would/ be a safe brumating environment then? My dad always puts the Green tree pythons into hibernation to stimulate breeding activity, would that temp be ok for the hognose?

~Seij

if he really is fat, brumate him at the same temps as the pythons. also, for frog storage, I just pop mine in the freezer. it sounds cruel, but they die anyway, and freezing is definately more humane. because frogs carry parasites panacur him from time to time. if you are going to keep the snake, THOROUGHLY read up on eastern hognose care, they arent exactly easy snakes to care for.
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- Happy herping!

KE

I've tried freezing his frogs, but like I said before, if it doesn't hop, he won't touch them. Dead frogs do have a bit of a problem with hopping.. I'll look at some hognose info online. One of my reptile magazines had an entire article on hognose snakes that I was able to read.

~Seij

thread?!?! you fed him stuff including thread?? that's just begging for an obstruction and thread can actually cut through intestines. just because it hasn't been a problem doesn't mean it won't be....it could be the problem now--he could be obstructed. I hope the thing lives but it sure doesn't sound like you are real into him, seeing as you 'dont care enough to remember' what kind of snake it is. Maybe it should find a new home.

THAT TOO. I forgot about that! easterns already have an affinity for impactions it seems, without feeding them string.
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- Happy herping!

KE

Hey, just because I forgot what kind he is doesn't mean I don't care about him. If I didn't care about him, I wouldn't be out trying to catch frogs every chance I got.

As for thread, it's only a few mm's a time. I figured it was ok because that's what my dad used to tie mice to frogs so the baby Green Tree Python's will eat. What else was I suppoed to use??

you shouldnt have tied it at all, even a few MM will slice up the animals innards. try thoroughly washing the mouse, and using HYLA scent to scent the food. any frog in the genus hyla will drive hogs nuts, especially peepers and grey tree frogs.
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- Happy herping!

KE