How to Identify the Western Hognose Snake (Identification Guide)

Key identifying features

The western hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus) is a small, harmless, non-venomous snake native to the Great Plains and southwestern United States as well as parts of northern Mexico. Like its eastern relative, it has a distinctly upturned, shovel-shaped snout adapted for digging, but it tends to show a more consistently blotched pattern and a somewhat smaller, stockier build.

Coloration & pattern

The dorsal ground color is usually tan, yellowish-brown, or gray, marked with a row of large, dark brown or blackish blotches down the back, alternating with smaller blotches along the sides. This blotched pattern is generally more uniform and predictable across individuals than in the eastern hognose snake, which shows extreme variation. The belly is typically dark, often black or heavily marked with black and cream mottling, especially toward the tail, which is a useful distinguishing feature from the eastern species.

Head, eyes & scales

The snout bears a sharply upturned, keeled scale used for digging in sandy or loose soils. The head is broad and can be flattened into a hood when the snake is threatened. Pupils are round, and dorsal scales are keeled, giving the body a slightly rough surface texture.

Size & body shape

This is a comparatively small species, with adults typically reaching only 38 to 60 cm in length, somewhat smaller on average than the eastern hognose snake. The body is stout for its length, and the tail is short. Defensive behavior includes hissing and hood-flattening, similar to other hognose snakes, along with feigning death when other displays fail.

Range & habitat where you'll see it

The western hognose snake is found across the Great Plains and parts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, favoring sandy, loose, or gravelly soils in prairies, scrubland, and semi-arid habitats where it can burrow and hunt for toads and other small prey. It is primarily diurnal.

How to tell it apart from look-alikes

The upturned snout separates hognose snakes from most other North American species at a glance. Compared to the eastern hognose snake, the western species usually shows a more consistently blotched pattern, a smaller adult size, and notably darker, more heavily marked belly and undertail coloration, which are the best features for telling the two apart where their ranges might be confused.