Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My female was collected by me, over a year ago. She was 19 inches and 180 grams. The males was collected a month later, 14 inches, both axanthic.
She was 23 inches before copulation and 230 grams. she gained to 320 grams before egg deposition.
This is her first clutch and she laid 23 eggs which 10 were infertile.
I nested her in my standard colubrid nesting cage and material. She dropped 3 to 5 day from shedding.

nesting cages.

Theres 8 inches of coco/sand mix, with a piece of glass placed a couple inches in the mix. Then board over 3/4 of the surface, then a couple of inches of sphagnum moss. Water bowl, lite etc, like a normal cage.

Here she is under the glass.

The eggs were not laid under the glass like most colubrids do, but all the way to the bottom and a few inches from two walls.
I removed the female washed her off, as she was covered in that black dust from the moss. She fed as soon as her belly hit the floor of her cage. now the wait. Her next clutch and/or other females clutched will be tested in other types of substrate including the material I found natural nests in.

One word FR... Hypocrite!!!!!

You just lost all credibility. I now know that you are nothing but a TROLL seeking to argue with every one.

Now go ahead and spin your tails to recoup your manhood. Tell everyone how you did it to for research or whatever lame excuse you're going to come up with.

you simply cannot read, comprehend, or put two thoughts together. Get a life.

Hi FR...I really think that's great that you are trying multiple substrates. is it really important for the heat bulb to be inside the cage?

For the sake of conversation do you think you will get a more fertile clutch of eggs with the sand?

no sir, the substrate is a totally different issue. The infertility is my fault. I was a bit worried as I had some temp problems. I was plenty happy to receive 13 good eggs.

I forgot to include it, She was 230 grams before cycling. and 226 grams after laying her eggs.

Great SUBSTRATE TEST, Frank. You clearly stated that you are testing different types of substrate. Interested to see what the results will be. Again kudos to you for getting off your computer and putting in time in actual Hognose field sites. In one of your other posts, you said you were heading out to observe kennerlyi in 2 states. Did you hit NM or TX? Now that I know what their territory looks like I'd like to head to NM to check out hog sites. There are kennerlyi and H.n.n. there.

Yeah I read that also testing different substrates.. I just wonder what type of results you are looking for with different substrates?

I think you already have the best thing and that is soil from there native range.

And reako45 I agree all the pics of wild hognose snakes is really making me want to go north and look for simus. I have never seen one and they are supposedly very hard to find.

I am hoping to see some unique natural behavior. And wondering if having something known to them will help expedite the laying process. Providing less stress on the female.
The normal material I just used, eco earth and sand, worked great, laid in 3 -5 days from shed and only lost a few grams of body weight. From aprox 230grams pre cop, to 226 grams post lay, Shes feeding daily. So we will see.
Are you in S. Fla.?

Yes I am in dade county least 150 miles south of sandhill habitat. I will take a day trip to Lake placid and look around.

You're in FLA.? If you do get out to a simus site PLEASE take lots of pics. I would love to see pics of your herp experience searching for them. Next month, God willing, I'm gonna have a couple of trips to Hog country lined up. This time I will remember to take lots of pics. Let's get some hog field herping pics up on this forum!

reako45

I am going to go for sure. I just hope I can find them. Road crusing in the morning till 10 am then doing some flipping palm fronds in the shade. It's pretty hot right now with decent rain.

And yeah pics for sure.

Watch out for wasps under the fronds, and be careful with stinkpot eggs. I have chased all over and took to water to get away from wasps. My daughters first snake was a southern when she was 9 months old.

Thanks I will keep a eye out for stinging anything. I f a 9 month old can find one then....Does she have any advice she can swing my way?

I did, and saw 2.3 over the weekend. And some local captives in the Rodeo area.
I am doing and going to do more tests, the nesting I used was a standard mix for me. Nothing specific to hognose. The next will be Sand from where I found eggs in nature. I am sure I will test that next year, but maybe this year as my second axanthic female may go soon. She has bred and is acting very much like the first female did. We will see.
I will post some in situ pics if your interested, I already have on a kennerlyi page.

Very cool. Rodeo, NM is one of the areas I had tagged to visit in search of hogs and kings. How long were you there? What was the weather like? I believe there are westerns east of there. I'd love to go and find a western site and compare what I saw at a kennerlyi site. Don't know if I'll get to do it this year. I'm hoping to revisit the kennerlyi site we found last year, and see if we could find a few others in areas I've tagged on my map.
One of the most enjoyable times I've ever had was herping a hog site. Everyone that enjoys these snakes in captivity really should get out to observe them in the wild. It will only increase your enjoyment of them 10 fold. It's a super fun herp session, flat land, SANDY SOIL, and at the site I visited lots of accompanying wildlife.

reako45

Rodeo, is pure kennerlyi, I will post a head scale shot I just took. East of there is the animas valley and its kennerlyi as well. I scouted out hog turf north if I-10 As westerns are suppose to blend immediately north of there.
The Reptile museum in Rodeos belongs to my friend. I built the exhibits and he wants more. I sold him the property he built his house on in Portal.
I believe westerns actually start a bit upstate in New Mex. I would love to look around White Sands, if you find a population, it could be WHITE. Worth checking out.
I may head to Santa Cruz county this week and have a look.

In NM I always thought you'd find westerns in the eastern part of the state, but you saying north of the I-10 and beyond makes sense as H.n.nasicus range extends up into Montana.

reako45