Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What are the chances that a WC madagascar hognose will take live mice while displayed in a pet store?? The reason I am asking is because I went to a pet store (didn't buy anything because I would never give them any money) and they had such a snake displayed. I know hognoses are picky eaters to say the least, so I asked the clerk if it was eating and he said it took live mice. Just wondering how true his claim may be. Thanks. -Joe

i worked in a pet store for many years and your best bet is to ask to watch its next feeding.If the snake is eating then that should not be a problem for them.
good luck
Oz

> I know hognoses are picky eaters to say the least,

You are thinking of the North American hognosed (Heterodon species), which are in the Dipsadidae snake family while the Madagascar hognosed (Leioheterodon species) are totally unrelated, being in the Pseudoxyrhophiinae snake family. Its a case of unfortunate naming. North American hognosed are much more closely related to false water cobras (Hydrodynastes) while the Madagascar hognosed are much more closely related to sand snakes (Psammophis) and other African 'colubrids'. Indeed, they are far more closely related to cobras than they are to North American hognosed.

So, the dietary preferences are going to be radically different. The North American hognosed are the ones that can be problematic to get to eay anything but the local toad (and the eastern hognosed are much more of a pain than the western hognosed). Madagascar hognosed will readily take mice, if they bother to eat at all (imports can sometimes be hard to get eating, others will eat like pigs).

Leioheterodon are really cool snakes with some very unusual behaviours.

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

Dr. Fry I really enjoyed the work you did with sea snakes on National Geographic's show Snake Wranglers. And your article in reptiles the 2002 hot issue. Keep up the good work.

Larry
lbratcher4@sbcglobal.net

Fangs

I have some wc giant madagascan hogs and some cb, the cb were pigs from birth, the wc took lives first time and took no time at all to convert to deads. They even look like cobras and have quite a pronounced hood, my biggest pair are both 6' .
-----
www.hognose.co.uk

Is someone on the wind up or is that really Dr Fry?

-----
www.hognose.co.uk

>>Is someone on the wind up or is that really Dr Fry?
>>

Thats me.

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

wow, ''Im not worthy, ''Im not worthy!!!''

Wow, herp royalty in our midst.Nice to type to you. Do you know much about the madagascan hogs? i have just bred my gaeyi and have eggs, the giants are mating and Im struggling with the modestus!
-----
www.hognose.co.uk