Newbie to Hognose Snakes! Lay all your information on me!

So I have plans to get a female hognose snake in June, and while I’m doing online research and everything, I’d like to hear it from real people as well!
She will be my first snake (I already have a name picked out haha). I already have a breeder in mind, who will have their clutches starting in June so I have plenty of time to get ready (Though I would like one ASAP)
Any information, tips, or advice is more then welcome!

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Welcome to the community! I have nothing to offer in hoggies I just got into snakes last year and only have ball pythons but lately I’ve started to look up hognose content on YouTube I love their feistiness and wouldn’t mind owning one some day.

Make sure that the enclosure is small especilly if you get a baby under 25 grams. Bigger is not better.

Make sure the animal has eaten at least 10 times on unscented and at least 10 times on f/t which is not always the case and getting animal that is not a well established feeder on unscented or f/t can be very problematic.

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Thanks for the welcome! And aren’t they just the cutest? I love how sassy they are!

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I’ve heard hoggies (especially males) can be quite picky with their eating!

I was originally planning on going for a 40 gallon, and I still might and just place dividers in it, but I was also considering going for a smaller 20 and for when I first get her just like a 6qt tub!

I keep all my babies in 2 gallon tubs for at least their first year (course I do corns but can be applied to most baby colubrids). The hardest thing can be getting them to consistently eat but I’ve heard females can be quicker to catch on than males but can’t confirm. With the male I used to have even as an adult I was still consistently having to scent his food with tuna juice and leaving it in tub. He never ate in front of me or if his tub was uncovered. Good luck with all your hoggie adventures!

Thank you so much! I’m sure I can find a small enough tank to keep my girl in until she’s ready to be in a bigger tank!
I’ve heard that too about males, so that’s why I’m leaning towards my first being a female!

Don’t get a tank when you are gonna have to upgrade within a year or so. Go and get a 2 gallon casserole plastic tub with a lid that snaps on. Drill some holes in the side for air and you’ll be good with a heat mat secured to the bottom.

What @meerkatlyndz said. Chances are the breeder is also keeping them in tubs so it will make the baby feel more secure too. Make sure you have a good thermostat hooked up to the heat mat though.

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I don’t know why I always forget to mention a thermostat… Guess cause to me it’s common sense even when I know it isn’t

Just to echo what everyone else is telling you- This is only my second (recent) year of breeding Hognose and this year’s hatchlings went into a hatchling rack where the tubs are only 12.75" Long x 3 3/16" Wide x 1 15/16" Tall and my babies were much easier to feed. Last year, I kept them in containers that were too large.

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The small enclosure advice people are giving is sound, and doesn’t just apply to hatchlings. I would seriously reconsider your plan of keeping your hog in a 40g as an adult. Most adult hogs do best in a 10g or 15g if really big.

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The small enclosure advice is absolutely sound. Don’t get guilted into a ridiculously large enclosure because you and your hoggie will have a bad time. Start small. You can upgrade them once you learn to understand their behavior. Blacking out the sides can help, too.

  • keep an antihistamine on hand
  • keep hand sanitizer nearby if it’s a tricolor
  • never take your eyes off those little nerds

If it’s a plains/western learn the soda pop trick: lift up on their rostral scale (the “hog nose”) to get them to stop eating you. Use hand sanitizer liberally if it’s a tricolor hognose…

When (accept it!) you get bit take off any rings or bracelets asap and take an antihistamine. Swelling, local pain, and even blisters can appear but generally… nothing happens. Repeated bites and letting them hold on for an extended period of time can be bad news: you’ll actually develop a hypersensitivity to them. Don’t panic, get it off, and take some antihistamines.

Try not to jump when they bluff strike at you. You’ll get used to it. Try not to poke at them too much if they’re pissy even though they make adorable tiny cobras :heart:

Prepare for the heartbreak of skipped meals. Tuna scent, chicken hearts, etc are all tips to get them ready to eat and keep pretty well in the fridge. :slight_smile:

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