LOCUS.Scales
Species care guide
Hognose (Western/Mexican)
Quick sourced reference values. LOCUS Scales' full breeding/genetics toolset is built specifically for ball pythons — this page is a courtesy reference for other species.
Scientific name
Heterodon nasicus
Native range
North American Great Plains
Lifestyle
🕳️ Fossorial (burrower)
Fossorial species from a semi-arid climate. Needs loose enough substrate to burrow — prioritize that comfort need before weighing ingestion risk.
Diet: Carnivore — frozen-thawed mice are sufficient (in the wild: mostly toads/frogs). Some reluctant hatchlings respond better to a mouse scented with toad to trick their sense of smell.
Feeding frequency: Juvenile 0-5 months: every 4-5 days. 6-11 months: every 6-7 days. Sub-adult/adult: every 10-14 days.
Substrate: The most important on this whole list — fossorial species, needs a fairly deep layer (7-10cm/3-4in+) of loose substrate to fully burrow into. Topsoil/play-sand mix, or coconut fiber. Never a substrate that's too compact or too shallow.
UVB: Ferguson zone 2 per several sources (alongside corn snakes and ball pythons) — a burrowing species that does surface into the sun sometimes. Low-moderate UVB (5%) reasonable.
🏠 Enclosure size
Adult : 36×12×12in is enough (stocky but small species — bigger doesn't hurt)
Common questions
⚠️ My hognose is playing dead / puffing its neck like a cobra — is something wrong?
No, it's a 100% normal, theatrical display, not a medical emergency or a sign of real aggression. Typical sequence: it flattens its neck ribs to puff up like a hood (mimicking a cobra), hisses loudly, makes false closed-mouth strikes without actually biting — all to bluff a predator. If that doesn't work, some will go as far as playing dead (thanatosis): flipping onto their back, tongue out, sometimes even releasing an unpleasant smell, completely still for several minutes. Don't flip it back over to "check" — let it recover on its own once it feels safe.
Is it venomous? Should I worry about a bite?
Technically yes, but nothing to panic over. Unlike front-fanged venomous snakes, its fangs sit at the back of the jaw (Duvernoy's gland) — it has to literally chew to deliver venom, which almost never happens during a quick defensive bite. The venom is built for toads, not mammals; in humans, worst case is some local swelling/redness that clears in 24-48 hours, rarely more. Not medically dangerous for a healthy person, but watch for an allergic reaction if it happens.
Why does it regurgitate more easily than other snakes?
Hognoses are particularly prone to regurgitation — respect the 48-hour post-meal handling wait even more strictly with this species than with a corn snake or kingsnake. Also avoid disturbing it or changing its ambient temperature in the hours after a meal.
Can I keep two together?
No — a solitary species, doesn't need company. Always separate enclosures.