Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know there are people on here who have never encountered a hognose that bites in self defense, but I'm telling you, my western hognose is a biter. Maybe I got the only one that exists. This morning as a test I poked at him with a plastic chopstick and he bit it, several times. I could videotape this if y'all would like.

He is cute, but I really am not enjoying him as a pet. I'm worried that if I pick him up barehanded he is going to bite me, and with those little fangs, I know it can be a real task to get hognose to let go once they chomp down.

I'm thinking of selling him. How much do you think I should ask for him? And I am assuming only a hog enthusiast would want him.

BTW he is an 02, adult male.

Nope, your not the only one. Mine used to latch on to me when she was small. I would just be holding her and then, without warning, shes chewing on my finger or hand. I think she thought everything was food back then. Now that shes older she is perfectly fine, hasnt chewed on me in well over a year. If yours is still small I would just give it some time. It does pinch when the fang gets you but its not painful. Id keep it if I were you. Good luck.

EP

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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1.5 balls
2.1.8 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, 4 normal,
4 anery )
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
1 fish
1 mouse
3.3 cats

He's not small. He's adult, three years old or so.

I dunno, I really am thinking I will sell him.

does he bite or does he just stike alot? i have a 02 male also. he mock bites anytime you get near him.

He bites! Open mouth, chomp down. He bit me once while I was wearing dish gloves and immediately let go. I haven't given him the opportunity to bite my bare hand.

One thing that may be a factor in this is that I do not handle him very much. But I really don't want to handle him, to be honest. I don't relish the thought of bleeding and holding him under running water until he lets go.

Maybe I will videotape him and post it.

I have a coachwhip that strikes at movement but anyone can reach in and pick it up. If it really bites try using a heavy glove so that he will not associate your hand with food or danger. Try modifying its behavior that way. Once in your hand is it ok?

Mike B

I think I would really like to see this happen. I question if it is truly defensive and not just an obscure modified feeding behavior. You never did mention if you see the snakes mouth open while it is striking If you were to get video, make sure you use something that the teeth would get stuck to if it truly had its mouth open, such as a fabric glove. That would demonstrate that it not only struck at the object, but had its mouth open enough to bite the object. At that point you would want to see if it would continue to chew as in a feeding behavior, or let go as in a typical defensive strike.
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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 will do so!

I'm just sitting here trying to figure out what to videotape him with. My digital camera takes little movies but I think a video camera might be better - I'll have to borrow that.

I'm a video editor by trade so I'll try to put something together in the next few days.

I named him Piglet but I'm wondering if he should be named Chewbacca.

strong feeding response. She would constrict my hand and continuosly try and eat my hand arm or whatever. It was quite annoying because I could neverhandle her without bleeding and prying her off me. She did grow out of it right before I sold her. Try washing your hands or put some alcohol hand sanitizer on before handling