Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello all. i was aware that hoggies are rear fanged and was told that they pose no threat to an adult human. i was wondering about the actuall effects of their venom on people and if it is potentially lethal. thanks in advance.

~JQ
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1.1 normal KSB
0.1 flame KSB
0.1 anery 2/3 het albino KSB
1.0 cal kingsnake
1.1 betta
0.1 ferret
1.1 hypo and albino cornsnake

Hognose snakes are one of the coolest snakes one can own. I have quite a few, and while they threaten me with how tough they are, they never bite. I did happen to find a link while out looking for other snakebite info.
Here it is:
www.herpnet.net/bite/
Dont let this info discourage you from owning one. I have never meet a person whos been bitten by one.
Hope this helps you;
Jason

is this a snake that can just be held with your hands or do some folks use snake hooks? would buying an adult with no prior experience with these guys be wise? or should i invest in a baby first? thanks for the info.

~JQ
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1.1 normal KSB
0.1 flame KSB
0.1 anery 2/3 het albino KSB
1.0 cal kingsnake
1.1 betta
0.1 ferret
1.1 hypo and albino cornsnake

Hogs only bite if they mistake your hand for a mouse. I've never heard of them biting from aggression or fear (they mock strike instead - just a closed mouth head butt). You can safely handle them with bare hands, as long as you don't smell like rodents.

But even if they did start nibbling on you, it takes a bit of chewing for them to get their venom in. The worst account of a bite (minor swelling and itchyness up to the elbow on the bitten arm) was after the handler let his hog chew on him for 5 minutes. Most people would get them detatched in less time, I would think.

A very tiny percentage of people can have allergic reactions to hog venom - much like bee stings. But if you aren't susceptible to those kind of reactions, I wouldn't worry.

Hogs are great, I love mine. He puts on a show (flaring his "hood" and hissing) if he doesn't want to be bothered, but that's about it (and he settles right down once picked up). Very good natured over all. In fact the most common complaint about them is their tendency to go off feed now and then... you NEVER hear about aggression or biting at all.
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1.0 sinaloan milksnake
1.0 western hognose
1.0 colombian boa

Some of the ones you find out of Malaysia get huge and have a very developed rear fang. I'm sure you are talking about the little western's but to make sure we're all clear, the giant malaysian hogs have documented cases of enenomations. Just thought you should know. The giants are very docile usually and are free handled, but maybe not a great first snake. Good luck, Eric-

I think you are talking about the Madagascar hognosed. They shouldn't be called hognosed because they are utterly unrelated. In completely different families. The venoms are also quite different.

The link below goes to a paper that has both venoms.

Cheers
Bryan
Colubroidea venom evolution

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Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry
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Australian Venom Research Unit,
University of Melbourne
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Population and Evolutionary Genetics Unit,
Museum Victoria
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http://www.venomdoc.com

Hello, I have been trying to reach you via email concerning our previous discussion about the website and I don't know if they were going through. If you could please send me an email so that we may discuss our previous arrangement, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks
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"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."
Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"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 5 western hognose and love them to no end. Definately my favorite snake.
They are rear-fanged and considered "venomous" however:

1) their venom is only about as potent as a bee sting (unless you are allergic)

2) because they are rear-fanged, if one was to bite you (which they rarely do) they would have to get you very far back in their mouth to actually inject you with venom.

I know someone who has been bitten by one of these little guys and they say it is rather painful and swells up a bit...like a bee sting.

Wendy
Scales

>>2) because they are rear-fanged, if one was to bite you (which they rarely do) they would have to get you very far back in their mouth to actually inject you with venom.

Just because they are "rear" fanged, doesn't mean "they would have to get you very far back in their mouth to actually inject you with venom". The fangs are just below the eyes, about midway in their mouth, as clearly evident by the pic below. They are called rear fanged because RELATIVE to front fanged snakes, they are farther back.
Click here for the link

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"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."
Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"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)

LOL
I have been trying to get my snakes to do that in their photos for years.
Mine never smile, it must be something they are feeding it?
Jason Mc

I am sure it was a wild snake that was giving an open-mouth threat.
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"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."
Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"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)