Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can hognose snakes be fed firebelly toads? Will they eat frogs? Thanks for your help

What type? As far as American types the Western can be easily swapped to mice in most cases. Easterns and Southerns can be too but its trickier.

I wouldn't risk the fire-belly. I don't know what type of toxin they have but I think its different from a bufo-toxin which is what Hognose Snakes (at least US species) are immune to. The toxin/poison on Fire-Belly Toads is on their skin and does not have to be excreted as far as I'm aware though I may be wrong, which is why I believe it different from Bufo-Toxin.

As far as frogs do you mean true frogs like bronze and leopards? My Eastern will readily eat Bronze/Green Frogs that I catch in my yard during the winter when its harder to find Southern Toads at night.

Thanks for the info. I have either a southern or eastern hognose. I was talking about true frogs. I appreciate the info greatly! I'm gonna try sliming a pinky in egg yolk to see if he will eat that & if not then at least i know I can feed him frogs! I appreciate the help! I can get tree frogs pretty easily but toads are hard for me to get.

After looking at some photos I'm pretty sure I have a southern hognose I love how he flattens his neck & hisses to make a cobra hood! He also REALLY hams it up when he pretends to die!

i would agree with orangeheterodon and say that it's not worth the risk. i have read numerous articles on the toxins that firebellies contain. i have not read of anyone feeding one to a hognose. personally, i wouldn't want to be the one to try.

have you tried getting a toad, freezing, thawing to scent, freezing again, and repeating? they can last a long time. i have used anoles and tree frogs as well.

look in the post below by me for pics of southerns. you can tell easterns from southerns pretty easily by looking at the head

jonathan

Does it have a big neck spread or just a little tiny one centered around the spot right behind its jaws? They all spread but the Eastern is the only one in North America with an extremely impressive spread. Also its a tough call just on pictures unless you are going by snout. Southerns have a VERY upturned snout similar to the westerns whereas easterns are more flat-snouted but they can still be upturned a bit with a rather fine point.

Don't get me wrong I fully believe that you may have a southern lol, where they are (scattered localities) they are quite common if you know how to look and then also they are becoming slightly more common at reptile shows. If you do have a Southern I hope you consider breeding in the future to reduce the amount of WC southerns because of how poorly their species is doing in the wild .