Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Dipsadinae, Genus: Heterodon, Species: H. platirhinos
Eastern North America, from southern Ontario, Canada, through the eastern United States to Florida and west to Texas and Minnesota.
Look up Eastern Hognose Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Dipsadinae, Genus: Heterodon, Species: H. platirhinos
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN); however, populations are declining in some northern areas due to habitat loss and decline of amphibian prey.
Physical Description
High variable coloration, this specimen shows greyish-brown with dark blotches. Features a distinctive upturned snout used for digging, keeled scales, and a wide neck that can be flattened into a hood.
Size & Dimensions
Specimen appears to be a juvenile/sub-adult approx. 10-14 inches. Adults typically range from 20 to 33 inches (maximum recorded ~45 inches).
Habitat
Found in areas with sandy soils, including woodlands, coastal scrub, pine forests, and agricultural fields. Prefers loose substrate for burrowing.
Diet & Feeding
Specialized toad hunter; uses upturned snout to find buried toads and enlarged rear teeth to puncture inflated toads. Also eats frogs and salamanders.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying); females lay clutches of 8 to 40 eggs in early summer, which hatch in late summer or autumn.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN); however, populations are declining in some northern areas due to habitat loss and decline of amphibian prey.
Cultural Significance
Commonly known by nicknames like 'Puff Adder' or 'Spread-head'. Highly valued by enthusiasts for its unique appearance and dramatic 'acting.'
Notable Features
Includes a specialized rostrum (upturned nose) for fossorial (burrowing) activity.