Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake (Heterodon Platirhinos)

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NON-VENOMOUS SNAKES Eastern Hog-noseD Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) 12" 24" 36" 48" 60" 72" Status: Not listed, Species in Greatest Conservation Need Size: 20 - 33 inches Active season: Late April through October Scales: Keeled, divided anal plate Description: Medium-sized, stout-bodied snake with a sharply pointed and slightly upturned nose. Dorsal coloration can range from yellow brown to gray to olive, with dark brown blotches. Some adults have been observed with minimal to no dorsal pattern. Two dark spots occur on the neck, and resemble “eyespots” when the snake flattens its head. The belly is mottled yellow to mottled gray. In hatchlings, the ventral surface may be black, but the undersides of the neck and tail are yellow or white. Diet: Primarily toads, other amphibians, arthropods Habitat: Prefer sandy areas in river floodplains, sand prairies, savannas and open woodlands. Spend most of their time underground in self-excavated burrows. They overwinter below the frost line in mammal or self-dug burrows. Hunting: Active forager Reproduction: Egg layer, clutch size is 4 – 63 eggs, with an average of 23 Other name(s): Blow Snake, Puff Adder, Cobra Notes: If threatened, this snake will flatten its head and raise it like a Cobra, hissing and striking repeatedly. It will also “play dead” by rolling on its back, regurgitating food, and excreting feces. The Eastern Hog-nosed is often confused with the Plains Hog-nosed; however, the Eastern has a less upturned nose and the underside of the tail is yellow. 38 EASTERN HOG-NOSED SNAKE Barney Oldfield Barney Adult Eastern Hog-nosed Snake. Note dark “eye spots” on neck. MNDNR–Erica Hoaglund MNDNR–Erica Adult Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (solid pattern variation). MNDNR–Liz Harper MNDNR–Liz Eastern Hog-nosed Snake playing dead. Note tail section below vent is not black, like the Plains Hog-nosed Snake. 39 Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 2010. Snakes and Lizards of Minnesota. Nongame Wildlife Program, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, Minnesota. 67 pp. .

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The Hognose Snake: a Prairie Survivor for Ten Million Years
University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Programs Information: Nebraska State Museum Museum, University of Nebraska State 1977 The Hognose Snake: A Prairie Survivor for Ten Million Years M. R. Voorhies University of Nebraska State Museum, [email protected] R. G. Corner University of Nebraska State Museum Harvey L. Gunderson University of Nebraska State Museum Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museumprogram Part of the Higher Education Administration Commons Voorhies, M. R.; Corner, R. G.; and Gunderson, Harvey L., "The Hognose Snake: A Prairie Survivor for Ten Million Years" (1977). Programs Information: Nebraska State Museum. 8. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museumprogram/8 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Museum, University of Nebraska State at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Programs Information: Nebraska State Museum by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. University of Nebraska State Museum and Planetarium 14th and U Sts. NUMBER 15JAN 12, 1977 ognose snake hunting in sand. The snake uses its shovel-like snout to loosen the soil. Hognose snakes spend most of their time above ground, but burrow in search of food, primarily toads. Even when toads are buried a foot or more in sand, hog nose snakes can detect them and dig them out. (Photos by Harvey L. Gunderson) Heterodon platyrhinos. The snout is used in digging; :tivities THE HOG NOSE SNAKE hognose snakes are expert burrowers, the western species being nicknamed the "prairie rooter" by Sand hills ranchers. The snakes burrow in pursuit of food which consists Prairie Survivor for almost entirely of toads, although occasionally frogs or small birds and mammals may be eaten.
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Habitats Bottomland Forests; Interior Rivers and Streams; Mississippi River
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Download Vol. 9, No. 7
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Heterodon Nasicus
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