Hognose Acually Bit Me!!!!

Well so much for what I have read and observed about hognose snakes. I got my Western Hognose in June of 2012 at about 1 year of age. She is from wild caught parents and has been a picky eater until about a year ago. I did my research and have handled her on a semi regular basis. What I had read and been told was they strike with a closed mouth and a strike was nothing to fear because of this. Up until this point of owning her this is exactly what she has done only pecking me with her little snout, hissing, huffing and puffing.

Today I was feeding her by placing some mice in the corner and putting her in the middle of her tank, like usual. She had the temp probe wrapped in her tail and she pulled it out of place. I reached in to replace it in its spot and she pecked me and then slammed my middle finger with a open mouth and started chewing. I tried to allow her to release me on her own but she continued to chew. Not knowing what her toxin may do to me I pulled her off my finger which immediately started bleeding from three or four punctures. I didn't hurt her and so far have not had any reaction to the bite.

I know that feeding time is a bad time to move around a snake and would not have done it around my other snakes, that was mistake number one. Im not surprised I got bit during feeding but I am surprised I got bit by my hoggy. She is still small being a trouble eater but she latched on to my man hand without issue and was trying to make short work of me. I don't wish to scare or alarm anybody but think it important that I let it be known that a hognose will strike a large object with an open mouth and latch on tight. Not the norm but not off the table.

As soon as it happened I thought of the user that was worried about her allergic child having a hognose and the reaction it may cause(not trying to start that debate again). I remember writing just what I had read and observed and felt an immediate urge to post this experience here. I will not say hognose strike with a closed mouth any longer. Even though this happened on feeding day the manner in which she struck me was more defensive in nature, an angry aggressive strike. It was clearly not mistaken identity nor was I to close to the prey. They were on the other side of the tank and she had to turn around and come after my hand. She has also never struck her live prey the way she did me and instead just grabs it and swallows. I believe she was having a bad day and took out a bit of frustration on me.

Overall Im glad it happened to me and not somebody else that may have had a reaction. I seem to be fine and am able to tell the story so that others can learn not to trust what information is usually passed about hognose as I did.

Today was an learning experience.

Hey, (first post woop) sorry to hear you got bit (need some pictures!) Hognoses are really food orientated as I am sure you are now aware. From what I understand a Hognose will not bite in a defensive manner but instead as you say hit you with its face to scare you off. The only time a Hognose would usually bite is if it considers your hand food. Had you touched the mouse prior to moving the snake? It seems quite odd that she would just bite, but then I am not a hognose so it may have and you were then and not me :)

For future reference I really would not recommend pulling off as this could cause some serious damage to the Hognose teeth

Hope you do not get effected by the venom


Peace from the Uk

I dont have pics because I had seen the video of the guy allowing his Hognose to bite him and wanted to get the bite cleaned out quick. I also know that pulling a snake off can hurt them but was not wanting to give her any more time to lock on since I didn't know what kind of reaction I may have. The bite did have a burning sensation to it that none of my other bites have ever had. That lasted about two hours after but it never swelled or discolored.

All ended well as she and I are both fine.

As for the type of bite she gave. It really reminded me of my gtp when he decides he doesn't want to put up with me with the difference that she latched on. My bloods and gtp usually just gave me a quick tag with one exception of one bloods that held on briefly but it didn't start chewing on me like my hoggy.

Thanks for the heads-up and I'm glad to hear you're ok. I have a little hoggie and while he's chill most of the time, he's a very aggressive feeder. He gets f/t and will come charging across the enclosure to get his dinner once he knows it is there. The chewing thing sounds like a feeding response to me, since that's what they do to their prey.

Well maybe mine is going to stop being so picky. She has always refused f/t and will only take live. She just has never had a very strong feeding response so this incident was very strange. Maybe its time to try f/t again.

My BRB did something like this. I bought him from a family that wanted something different and they told me he was a picky eater. For the most part he was for a good while after I got him. Then one day he flipped a switch and now he comes flying out of his cage for food. He was shy but now he is extremely bold and is a handful at feeding time.

That sucks, but don't take it personally! Even though your hand was on the other end of the vive, the smell of food was in the air. The chewing definitely speaks volumes to me, as a feeding response.
I would be more concerned with the snake than myself, as hog nose venom is typically harmless (of course in very rare cases it can have adverse affects, as you've mentioned that one particular case). Be careful pulling any snakes off when they bite, as you don't want to pull out their teeth and potentially cause infection - although I'm sure you're already aware of this.

Next tome try running the snake under some room temp water. Might allow the snake to release on its own if the teeth are not sunken so deep as to need further assistance.

Mine bit too.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by elbee

Mine bit too.

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How did yours get you?

As to running it under water or trying the other tricks out there. I would if the reaction was known but being that it wasn't I did not want to risk it. I got her off as gentle as I could but allowing her to get a better grip and allowing more time for me to be exposed to the venom I was not I did what I thought best for me. Having gtps and blood pythons from babies I have been tagged enough that when my hoggy latched on I didn't even flinch. I just let her hang for a second thinking she would let go but when her jaws started chomping I grabbed her right behind her head as you would when opening a snakes mouth and as gentle as possible removed her from my finger. She huffed and puffed as she twitched around like usual when making a scene. Then by the time I got the bite cleaned up all her prey was gone.

If I hadn't seen the video on YouTube I probably would have handled it different but since I had I was not willing to take the chance of ending up like he did.

I still feel that it was a feeding response. Out of all of my snakes, the only ones that I have worn gloves for are my hognose. My first one I ended up picking up in a similar situation to yours, and he's always gentle as can be. Until feeding time that is, then it's a brawl. When he smells food, he's been known to fly out of his tub. He's faceplanted and tried to eat the carpet, my boots, jeans, phone, gloves, and anything else nearby. Then when feeding time is done, he's as content as ever. Honestly, it's one of the reasons that I began to love hogs so much.

I honestly hope yall are right. I would love for her to finally eat well.