hognose vs. ball python?

[melrappmel]

ok so Im a tiny bit worried about the venom thing because though Im not allergic to bee stings I do react sometimes by swelling up......so is it very likely that the venom will be a big issue??

Thanks, Melissa

[anatess]

Not an issue. A hognose's venom is secreted through its rear-fangs. IF he bites (which is so rare it's almost never) - he will first hold on with his front teeth. Then he will chew his way "into" your finger until it reaches his rear fangs and then it will secrete the venom... If by that time you haven't done something to remove your finger out of its mouth, then yeah, you WANTED to get that venom in you.

There's a post here of somebody who got bit by his hognose - he let the hognose chew on him for... I think he said 3 minutes... He could have removed his finger out of the hognose's mouth within the first 5 seconds, but he chose not to just to see what would happen.

When a hognose eats - he doesn't strike from afar like a ball python. He chases his food down first and then corners it, sometimes putting its body on top of the food to pin him down, then he bites into the food and starts chewing. So, even if the hognose mistakes your hand for food, you will have some time to react before he gets you.

Now, here's my first day with a hognose. I am snake phobic (yes, until today amazingly). My son got his hognose for Christmas 2 years ago. We put it in a box and wrapped it with wrapping paper and put him under the tree - to the very back. When we started opening the presents, the snake was hissing sooo loudly my son was jumping up and down with joy throwing presents left and right looking for the hognose. He opened the box and the thing was hissing like crazy, standing up like a cobra, super stressed out (yeah, I admit now it wasn't the greatest idea putting him under the tree)... I was so scared but my husband insists it's all fine. My son has been handling the hognose at the pet store so he is familiar with it. He just went and picked up the snake hissing and all! The snake bumped his nose at my son which startled my son a bit but didn't stop him from grabbing the snake anyway (by this time I was about to have a heart attack). But then he immediately calmed down the moment he got lifted up and he was chilling the rest of the time.

So yeah, that's why I like that guy - after that initial fear, I completely understood what he was about. I thoroughly enjoyed just observing his reactions to my sons' handling, the way he eats, the way he moves (he can slither pretty fast). He was very hissy the first few weeks - sometimes he sounds like a rattlesnake, even shaking his tail a bit striking with his snout - but then after a while he calmed down and now - 2 years later - he rarely hisses (and only when he's startled) and is quite the show-and-tell veteran. His first "show" was with a bunch of 7 year olds. They were passing him around. He was popular with the kids because he was small. So yeah, one of my sons got bit by one of the ball pythons. But no such thing for the hognose yet.

[melrappmel]

ok so one last question Ive heard of hognose bumping you with their noses.....is it like they act like their going to bite you and dont open their mouths so you just feel their nose bump you?

[Skiploder]

(Somewhat) with you there, mommanessy - my GF is the type who's allergic to just about everything, and is deathly afraid of bee stings as a result. Given that, it's pretty likely she'd be one of the people who have a severe reaction to hognose venom. Because of that, she's gone from "oh, they're cute, why don't you want one of them instead of a carpet python," to "*sigh*, I guess they're off the list..."

This ongoing fallacy about allergies and snake venom persists despite the fact that it's been rebutted just about everywhere. Snake venom allergies take place when people are exposed to (1) either repeated bites (2) repeated doses of antivenin or (3) frequent inhalation of dried venom .

Having an allergy to peanut butter, bee stings or silk underwear is in no way a predictor of a reaction to snake venom.

The swelling, pain and discoloration some people get when bitten by hognoses is a by-product of the venom - not an allergy.

[mainbutter]

ok so one last question Ive heard of hognose bumping you with their noses.....is it like they act like their going to bite you and dont open their mouths so you just feel their nose bump you?

Yes. It is called false striking, and I've had it happen to me. I feel 100% confident my hoggie will never bite me out of defense.

[melrappmel]

ok thanks

[smd58]

I have both, they are different types of snakes but both are fun. Ide get the hog if your just looking for another pet snake.

[Mallory]

That is so funny!! I have a BP named Pandora and a western hognose (Rudy). I would say get the hognose for some variety. I love mine.

[dembonez]

ball python for the simple fact how they get Thicker! its eaiser not to loose them! haha

[dembonez]

isn't hognose venom like....nothing unless you are allergic to bee stings?