New Hognose snakes...

[daniel1983]

I got 1.2 Eastern Hognose snakes in from a wholesaler out of Florida this week. I had trouble finding someone selling CBB Eastern Hognoses so I resorted to getting a WC group in order to establish my own CBB group. When I first started getting back into reptiles during college, I 'flipped a coin' to decide between getting a ball python and a hognose since they were captives I was interested in. I picked up a ball python that week, and it has taken me over 4 years to get a hognose. I am very excited about these neat snakes. This is also the first colubrid that I have kept since I was a kid so it should be interesting. Just thought I would share, so here are some pictures:

[waltah!]

very cool. How are their temperments?

[FloridaHogs]

Nice looking hoggies! Hope they are feeding on mice for you.

[Rapture]

I probably could have walked outside and found some of those for ya! Nice Easterns, I'm guessing they're on toads?

[BMorrison]

I LOVE THAT DARK BLACK HOGGIE! Very nice!

[daniel1983]

Thanks.

Their temperments are fine and this week will be my first attempt at feeding, so I won't really know until then. I have a bunch of toads on standby, but I will try scented rat pinks on the first attempt to see how it goes.

[FloridaHogs]

I recommend you get them switched over as quickly as possibly. Hoggies are my main thing, and the nightmares I could tell you about the parasites I have had to deal with from WC prey...UGH!! I have had the best success with converting adults to mice using the bait and switch method. Mouse on one hand, toad in other. Kinda sandwich them together with the toad on top. Hold them up in front of the animal (you will know when they get interested) When they go to bite the toad, just move it out of the way, so they get a mouth full of the pink. Stay still until they start swallowing, then slowly move away. Don't do to much until they finish the meal, then put the lid back on the cage. WC Easterns are quick to spit the mouse back out and then you have to start all over again. It is time consuming to get them switched, but once they get use to the feeding method, they are easy!




One more thing, since they are WC, I would highly recomend a treatment of panacur. Parasites are rampent in WC hoggies, and seem to relly multiply once they are in captivity. Least stressful way to do this is to inject it in the food item before they eat it. Catch is, if they do not eat, food item and meds are wasted.

And if you notice something like this

do not assume it is from a retained eye cap or something like that. This particular animal has a tapeworm type parasite that is unaffected by panacur. By the time you see this, it is a major infestation. It came from scenting with green tree frogs over the winter when toads where absent. Yeah, nightmare stories!

[.:LRG:.VinTaGe1947]

I have the same problem that you had. It is my second year of college and I am adding to my herp collection (a snake). I just don’t know what kind to get a ball or a hognose.haha very hard pick

Congrats on the nice hogs

[FloridaHogs]

Well, both tend to go off feed, but hogs poo a WHOLE lot more than BP's and it smells way worse. That being said.....go with the hoggie!!

[joepythons]

Congrats on the new additions