# Colubrids > Hognose >  bunch of general hognose questions before purchasing!

## baldegale

so heres my bunch of questions:

im looking at a 12gram female hognose currently and i have a a 40 breeder which i know is WAY too big of a tank, i can go out and buy a 10gal tank no issue and would that suffice for that small of a hog? and would the hog be able to eventually go into the 40 breeder?

 this is what the person has, and reading a previous thread the feedings are good i just dont know much so id like other opinions. 

i havent done much research yet because literally just today i switched my mind from getting a BP to getting a hog, theyre just so darn cute. but any suggestions on temps, substrates, and lights to use? (ill be doing research after i post this just wanted to post while all the questions were fresh on my mind)

im going to nashville repticon in february and ive never seen hognoses there but if i do, what are some questions i should ask the vendors about the snake that i want? 

right now these are all the questions i can think of but any input helps!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Stewart_Reptiles

When it comes to hognose even the largest adult female will have too much space in a 40 gallons breeder not too mention the difficty of providing proper temps 

To start of at 12 grams you want something no bigger than a 6 quarts tub sometime there is even a need for something much smaller, 10 gallons is still too big 

As far as care the info is out there there are various datasheets.

As far as question you want to make sure to ask about feeding and here are the things to avoid.

Do not buy an animal that is feeding on scented preys.
Do not buy an animal that feed on live (finding live pinkies is very hard and would get old quick)

Make sure the animal is well started at least 10 meals on unscented and 10 meals on frozen, those are the minimum I would expect especially for a new owner.

More and more you see new owner buying hognose that feed on scented or may have had one or 2 f/t (sellers are in a hurry to move them) and it's a big mistake, because if your hognose does not feed for you, you have very little room to get them back on track due to their small size.

----------

_baldegale_ (01-06-2018),_Jus1More_ (01-05-2018),_MissterDog_ (03-05-2018)

----------


## baldegale

> When it comes to hognose even the largest adult female will have too much space in a 40 gallons breeder not too mention the difficty of providing proper temps 
> 
> To start of at 12 grams you want something no bigger than a 6 quarts tub sometime there is even a need for something much smaller, 10 gallons is still too big 
> 
> As far as care the info is out there there are various datasheets.
> 
> As far as question you want to make sure to ask about feeding and here are the things to avoid.
> 
> Do not buy an animal that is feeding on scented preys.
> ...


i just looked up 6 quart containers and theyre most definitely cheap, how would i regulate heat in such a small space? dont even know how id fit hides/water dish in something that small. after doing research im seeing to keep temps at 90° on hot side and ambient temps at 80°. i saw aswell that a 20long is typical for adults. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## baldegale

also- i know BPs can get intimidated in bigger tanks but are better when you clutter the tank, is it the same case with hogs? like could i use a bigger tank but have lots of plants n hides n stuff like that?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Zincubus

Worth remembering that Hoggies are rear-fanged and as such mildly venomous ..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

----------


## baldegale

> Worth remembering that Hoggies are rear-fanged and as such mildly venomous ..
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


ah yes i know, that was one thing that also had me on edge but ive heard from many many people how rare it actually is to get bit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Stewart_Reptiles

People underestimate the size of a 6 quarts tub especially for a hognose they also often do not realise are tiny a 12 grams snake really is.

To give you some perspective I took some pictures of an actual 6 quarts tub and a 12 grams hatchling female hognose and I also did the same with a 120 grams female hognose (so 10 times the size), you will also see a quarter for size reference.





Your 6 quarts tub will last your for a year or more depending on whether you are feeding your hognose adequately or not, at a year a female should be about 75 grams at that time depending on how well she feeds she will do fine in a 10 gallons or if you want to save money in a 12 or 15 quarts tub. Once she is around 200 grams she will be ready for her final enclosure a 20 gallons tank.

When you buy your 6 quarts tub I will also advice to buy a 2.7 quarts tub l just in case, because if you have feeding issue downsizing will be your first step. (1 of them at walmart will be around $3.00 while your 6 quarts tub will be from $1.00 to $3.00)

As for regulating heat its like in a tank you use a heat mat, I will recommend Ultraterm as they are more sturdy and can be moved from one enclosure to another) and a reliable thermostat, you want to cover 1/4 to 1/3  of the tub. This one will work now and on your permanent enclosure in the future.

While you have room to provide a hide (6 inch plastic flower pot saucer), it will be unnecessary, Hognose do not use hides what they need however is 2 inches of the adequate substrate (aspen) that will allow them to do what is natural for them digging and bury themselves.

----------

_AbsoluteApril_ (01-05-2018),C.Marie (01-04-2018),Craiga 01453 (01-04-2018),_Jus1More_ (01-05-2018)

----------


## SDA

I would check out the youtube channel for hognose information. She breeds hognose and has excellent tips on how to house and feed them.

----------


## baldegale

> People underestimate the size of a 6 quarts tub especially for a hognose they also often do not realise are tiny a 12 grams snake really is.
> 
> To give you some perspective I took some pictures of an actual 6 quarts tub and a 12 grams hatchling female hognose and I also did the same with a 120 grams female hognose (so 10 times the size), you will also see a quarter for size reference.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your 6 quarts tub will last your for a year or more depending on whether you are feeding your hognose adequately or not, at a year a female should be about 75 grams at that time depending on how well she feeds she will do fine in a 10 gallons or if you want to save money in a 12 or 15 quarts tub. Once she is around 200 grams she will be ready for her final enclosure a 20 gallons tank.
> ...


this just put me massively at ease cause the heating was my main concern, i bought a heating pad n thermostat for a 40 gal breeder cause i initially planned on getting a BP but hogs are irresistible to me. i can ship the mat back but ill keep the jumpstart thermostat n thermometer. which is better, aspen shavings or aspen chips? also how do i provide light? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## SDA

Oops forgot to put the youtube channel I meant LO Check out snake discovery

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnI...8Xj-ArA/videos

----------


## baldegale

> ...though I would still like to now why the OPs enclosure is too big.


this is how she explained it to me earlier on in the thread:   (for size comparison my hoggie is going to be 10g on arrival)  thats how she explained it to me! im a newbie so like pit said, i just regurgitate what everyone else tells me until i experience it myself. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------

_Godzilla78_ (01-07-2018)

----------


## PitOnTheProwl

Just to throw this in there.....
All of my ball python hatchlings start their lives in a THREE quart tub. Same floor space as a 6 buy half the height.
Those that know a ball hatches in the 50+ gram area give or take.
Think about this before you start recommending 10 and 20+ gallon tanks for a 10 to 20 gram animal.

----------


## John1982

> Im curious, why is this too big?  They arent stuck in super tiny tubs naturally.  What is wrong with it?





> Not with proper hides.  You can create small spaces inside large spaces, just like tubs are small places in large rooms,  hides are small spaces in enclosures.  Its not complicated.





> I only asked your logic.  It makes no sense to me, but perhaps you can explain it.  I don't accept opinions at face value, with no reasoning behind it.  I have no experience, but experience doesn't equal infallibility.





> ...though I would still like to now why the OPs enclosure is too big.


They're a largely fossorial species - them rostrals ain't just for show. They'll come to the surface for various reasons but when seeking shelter, these critters simply dig down. Adding more clutter doesn't really do anything for hognose snakes if you already have a proper substrate. While it might add a bit of stimulation, it's doing next to nothing for their sense of security. Feeling secure in their surroundings is what you should be aiming for with a new animal to get them on the right track. When someone inexperienced is asking for advice, keeping it simple is often the best policy. Once they have a little hands on experience, then they might want to experiment a bit on their own. As for the "bigger is always better" argument, I hear from panicking owners all the time that can't find their little wiggler in a huge enclosure. While the snake might be perfectly fine, the stress of the owner is going to affect their care. If they never see the snake, they can't rightly know how well it's doing. If they're always digging around looking for that needle in a haystack, the snake is going to constantly be disturbed. Even people who advocate massive, naturalistic setups often start smaller animals in much more cramped and simplistic setups until they're better established.

----------

C.Marie (01-07-2018),Craiga 01453 (01-08-2018),_Godzilla78_ (01-07-2018),_tttaylorrr_ (01-07-2018)

----------


## Godzilla78

> They're a largely fossorial species - them rostrals ain't just for show. They'll come to the surface for various reasons but when seeking shelter, these critters simply dig down. Adding more clutter doesn't really do anything for hognose snakes if you already have a proper substrate. While it might add a bit of stimulation, it's doing next to nothing for their sense of security. Feeling secure in their surroundings is what you should be aiming for with a new animal to get them on the right track. When someone inexperienced is asking for advice, keeping it simple is often the best policy. Once they have a little hands on experience, then they might want to experiment a bit on their own. As for the "bigger is always better" argument, I hear from panicking owners all the time that can't find their little wiggler in a huge enclosure. While the snake might be perfectly fine, the stress of the owner is going to affect their care. If they never see the snake, they can't rightly know how well it's doing. If they're always digging around looking for that needle in a haystack, the snake is going to constantly be disturbed. Even people who advocate massive, naturalistic setups often start smaller animals in much more cramped and simplistic setups until they're better established.


Thank you John, thats a huge amount of logic, that I can understand.

----------

C.Marie (01-07-2018)

----------

