Hi,
I’m new to the snake world and am awaiting a permit for a hognose as I am in IL, I was looking for any tips on getting their habitat ready and what color I should get. All tips are welcome
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Hello, welcome to the Hognose hobby 
So if you are preparing for a new arrival my reccomendation for you (this applies to any snake species) is to start simple.
Starting simple by using paper towel/paper substrate, easy to clean hides/decor and water bowl, and maybe a box with a little bit of substrate just so your Hoggy can dig. This allows for you to be able to monitor the snake the first few weeks for signs on illness or mites.
Keep the enclosure simple for 90+ days, this is the typical quarantine setup purely to monitor health that is essential for new arrivals.
Once your Hoggy’s quarantine period is over I reccomend using deep substrate that can hold its shape well, they like to burrow. Fine sifted topsoil (no additives) with a bit of ZooMed Excavator clay is my go-to for my Western Hognose girl. I used to use fine Aspen shavings but I find it to be too drying and dusty after years of working with it. Aim for 3-4 inches of substrate. Make sure the substrate doesn’t get overly damp- Western Hognose Snakes don’t like a ton of ground moisture.
If you get a male they can comfortably be housed in a 20gal long enclosure as they typically do not grow to be large at all. If you do end up with a male that grows to be a giant he can be moved up in enclosure size.
I’d reccomend 40gal long for females.
Create a temperature gradient in the enclosure. No higher than 90°F for the basking spot (I find at least my female likes to bask regularly) 80-86°F warm side and 75°F cool side.
Offer a couple of hides and a shallow water bowl.
The color/Morph really depends on your budget and preference. I am not aware of any Western Hognose morphs that cause issues so I don’t believe what morph you chose would affect the snake’s care either way.
I also want to add if you’re not already aware that Hognose snakes are notoriously picky eaters so when you begin your search make sure you buy from a trusted source that already has well started snakes.
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