Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Dipsadinae, Genus: Heterodon, Species: H. platirhinos
Widely distributed across the eastern half of the United States from southern Canada (Ontario) to southern Florida, and west to New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Texas.
Look up Eastern Hognose Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Mildly venomous (rear-fanged/opisthoglyphous); use enlarged teeth at the back of the upper jaw to deliver saliva with mild toxic properties specialized for toads.
Danger Level
Harmless / Low Risk. They are exceptionally reluctant to bite humans, typically preferring to play dead before striking.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Dipsadinae, Genus: Heterodon, Species: H. platirhinos
Conservation
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern. However, they face threats from habitat loss, decrease in toad populations, and human persecution due to their cobra-like appearance.
Physical Description
Highly variable in color (tan, brown, grey, or reddish) with large, irregular dark blotches. Distinguished by an upturned, shovel-like rostral scale (nose), thick body, keeled scales, and round pupils.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen in the image appears to be an adult around 24 inches. Typical adult length ranges from 20 to 33 inches (50–84 cm), with a maximum recorded length of 45 inches.
Habitat
Prefer areas with sandy soil for burrowing, including open woodlands, forest edges, meadows, and coastal areas. Commonly found in elevations ranging from sea level to approximately 2,500 feet.
Behavior & Temperament
Famous for elaborate defensive displays. When threatened, they hiss loudly, flatten their necks like a cobra, and if that fails, they will roll onto their backs and play dead (thanatosis) with their mouths open.
Diet & Feeding
Specialize almost exclusively on toads (Anaxyrus spp.). They have an immunity to toad toxins and use their rear fangs to puncture inflated toads and deliver paralyzing saliva.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay between 8 to 40 eggs in early summer, which hatch in late summer or early autumn after an incubation period of about 60 days.
Venom Profile
The saliva contains enzymes that are specifically toxic to amphibians (toads) but have no medically significant effect on healthy humans beyond localized swelling.
Look-alikes
Often confused with Rattlesnakes due to their blotched pattern and flattened heads; however, they lack rattles, have round pupils, and have the distinctive upturned nose. Also confused with Copperheads.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern. However, they face threats from habitat loss, decrease in toad populations, and human persecution due to their cobra-like appearance.
Cultural Significance
Commonly known as the 'Spreading Adder' or 'Puff Adder' in folklore, they play a critical ecological role in controlling toad populations in sandy ecosystems.
Notable Features
The upturned snout used for digging into sandy soil and their highly dramatic 'death-feigning' behavior, which includes regurgitating food and emitting a foul-smelling musk to deter predators.