My new Hognose hissed at me!

I got my Hoggy last Sunday at the Cleveland Reptile Show & Sale. Occasionally, when I need to adjust something in his tank, he hisses at me! What does this mean?

it could be as easy as he hasnt been handled yet ... some snakes will do it anyways just saying hi but stop once u take them out....

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Originally Posted by Onua Nuva

I got my Hoggy last Sunday at the Cleveland Reptile Show & Sale. Occasionally, when I need to adjust something in his tank, he hisses at me! What does this mean?

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well he prolly havent been played with alot and hes prolly just getting relived of the stress hes been under when he was at the show put one of you tee shirts and let him get used to ur scent then try to handel him

Ooh! I'm so glad you got him! I know you've been wanting one for quite a while. ^_^ The t-shirt idea is something I stand behind. I hope he comes around.

I am not too familiar with hognoses, but he probably needs time to settle in. Give him a few more days (with the t-shirt, I love the idea), then try short handling sessions every few days.

IMHO, the hiss is his way of trying to scare away a stranger in his new home. Take it slow.

Congrats!!! Post pictures once he's settled in.

Yeah, I thought it was a sign of being territorial. I'm giving him 3 days to settle in then I'll try to handle him. I'm just wondering, how does this T-shirt thing work? P.S. I will post pics of him ASAP (once I get our Digital Camera to work).

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Originally Posted by Onua Nuva

Yeah, I thought it was a sign of being territorial. I'm giving him 3 days to settle in then I'll try to handle him. I'm just wondering, what's with this T-shirt thing:confused:? I will post pics of him ASAP (once I get our Digital Camera to work)

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the t shirt thing is soo the snake knows your scent with out him biteing you so when you play with him he knows you allready (in a way lol )

LOL, I love the hiss. Mine is getting pretty good about being handled but still hisses and even on occasion will flatten out and rattle his tail. He is fine once you get him out, though I won't let the kids handle him yet as he is much more flighty than the balls they are used to.
Who did you end up getting your hognose from?

Some of them just do that, it is what they are known for. Don't sweat it he won't bite, they only bite from SFEs. Enjoy it if he keeps his "show".

Think yours hissed check out this Giant Madagascar Hognose, talk about a hissy fit,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imaqPdrUO_g

The owner says he never bites just like our hoggies, all show, :P

That is one long snake! Great video.

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Originally Posted by jjspirko

Some of them just do that, it is what they are known for. Don't sweat it he won't bite, they only bite from SFEs. Enjoy it if he keeps his "show".

Think yours hissed check out this Giant Madagascar Hognose, talk about a hissy fit,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imaqPdrUO_g

The owner says he never bites just like our hoggies, all show, :P

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That Giant Malagasy Hogger is not only touchy-touchy, he's also hissy-hissy:rofl:! Charon will probably never bite me, but he startles me every time he does that! He's a month old. Does that affect anything?

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Originally Posted by catawhat75

LOL, I love the hiss. Mine is getting pretty good about being handled but still hisses and even on occasion will flatten out and rattle his tail. He is fine once you get him out, though I won't let the kids handle him yet as he is much more flighty than the balls they are used to.
Who did you end up getting your hognose from?

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I got him from a guy at the All-Cleveland Reptile Show & Sale you PMed me about. I am starting to believe Charon wasn't being handled enough...

they all do that... thats the hognose way. they swell up their hoods and hiss, then they strike with a closed mouth, then play dead. eventually he'll stop spreading his hood and hissing except when you startle him or he's oqapue.

Mine hisses at me and flattens his neck whenever I put him in his feeding tank and he doesnt eat. Im still trying to switch him to mice so the first time I put him in without rubbin it on a frog and if he doesnt eat and I stick my hand in there to get the mouse to scent him he starts hissing and flattening its neck. Never struck though, Just seems to be a warning.

I'm starting to handle him now. At first he just sits there. Then, after like 8 minutes, he starts slithering through my hands (that feels good). If I handle him enough maybe he'll calm down.

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Originally Posted by Onua Nuva

I got him from a guy at the All-Cleveland Reptile Show & Sale you PMed me about. I am starting to believe Charon wasn't being handled enough...

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Off-topic: there was also a Green morph (for $100) and an Oddball morph (for $60) at the ACRS&S, but I was already attached to Charon so I stuck with him. I'm pretty sure most of the snakes there were captive-bred.

out of curiosity, why do you care if he calms down? thats part of the charm of a hognose.

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Originally Posted by kzooherpetoculturist

out of curiosity, why do you care if he calms down? thats part of the charm of a hognose.

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I didn't get a snake just so it could be a display pet. I enjoy handling them (I don't over-handle my snakes of course) and if he calms down he'll be more of a pleasure to handle with. Handling also tells him that the pink snake with 5 heads :rofl: means no harm. I'm not a collector.

mine has hissed once. she knew it was feeding time... and she was pretty happy to get her meal.

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Originally Posted by lovemetalivy8

mine has hissed once. she knew it was feeding time... and she was pretty happy to get her meal.

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Yeah, mine always hisses at the food. First he does the usual mock-strike routine at the pinky, then he opens up that gaping mouth (in the shape of a jolly smile :D) and grabs the pinky. Taming update: he's doing better. Now he sometimes lets me watch him eat (when he doesn't let me I leave the room and when I return it's [the pinky] gone) and after only 5 minutes he gets used to the handling period.

My little guy was putting on the full show today. He puffed up then flattened his neck and lifted his head up cobra style. He struck a few times then let me pick him up and he was fine. It's pretty funny to watch a 6 inch snake with that kind of attitude:)