Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos • Order: Squamata; Suborder: Serpentes; Family: Colubridae; Subfamily: Dipsadinae; Genus: Heterodon; Species: Heterodon platirhinos
Eastern half of the United States, from southern New Hampshire and southern Ontario to Florida and west to Texas and Minnesota.
Look up Eastern Hognose Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Mildly venomous (Opisthoglyphous / Rear-fanged); uses enlarged rear teeth to deliver specialized saliva to prey.
Danger Level
Harmless/Low Risk; they rarely bite humans even when provoked and their venom has no medical significance for healthy adults.
Family
Order: Squamata; Suborder: Serpentes; Family: Colubridae; Subfamily: Dipsadinae; Genus: Heterodon; Species: Heterodon platirhinos
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they are sensitive to habitat loss and decline in amphibian populations.
Physical Description
Extremely variable in color but often shows dark blotches on an orange, tan, or gray background. This specimen is a dark, melanistic-leaning individual. They feature a distinctive upturned snout, a heavy-set body, keeled scales, and large eyes with round pupils.
Size & Dimensions
Typically 20-33 inches (51–84 cm) in length; maximum record is about 45 inches. This specimen appears to be an adult.
Habitat
Prefer areas with sandy or loose soils for burrowing, such as open woodlands, coastal dunes, field edges, and river floodplains.
Behavior & Temperament
Famous for elaborate defensive displays including neck-spreading (like a cobra), loud hissing, and 'playing dead' (thanatosis) where they flip onto their back with their mouth open.
Diet & Feeding
Specialize almost exclusively on toads (Anaxyrus spp.); they possess enlarged adrenal glands to neutralize toad toxins and use rear fangs to deflate inflated toads.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying); clutches typically range from 8 to 40 eggs laid in summer, with hatchlings emerging in late summer or fall.
Venom Profile
Amphibian-specific mild venom; contains digestive enzymes and toxins primarily effective against toads (neurotoxic/hemotoxic to small prey); non-lethal to humans.
Look-alikes
Commonly confused with Rattlesnakes (due to keeled scales/blotches), Cottonmouths (due to thick body/dark color), or Cobras (when flattening their neck). Distinguished by the upturned snout.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they are sensitive to habitat loss and decline in amphibian populations.
Cultural Significance
Commonly nicknamed the 'puff adder' or 'spreading adder,' they play a vital ecological role in controlling toad populations and are harmless beneficial garden residents.
Notable Features
The upturned rostral scale (nose) used for digging, and their dramatic 'death feigning' behavior which is one of the most convincing displays in the animal kingdom.