Hoggie question.

[snakelover88]

Ok so I am a proud mama of a western hognose that I took in from someone who was having to get rid of their collection. He is 4 years old and very very active and eats well. We have had him for about 2 months now and we keep him in our room because he seems to get stressed out easily by lots of movement around his cage. My question is does everyones hoggies have such nasty attitudes? He will false strike at my honey when he does anything in his cage, and especially when getting him out. I can reach in and do anything and he won't mess with me unless I try to pick him up. We do get him out several times a week to try and get him more comfortable with us. Just curious if anyone elses hoggies are like this? Thanks, Morgan

[Hardwikk]

My Hogger is stressed out by movement so when I look at him roam around I need to hold still so he won't notice me and stop. That Hogger seems to act a lot like mine. It's all total bluff. Just get in there and handle it, because while it's startling, it's harmless.

P.S. Judging by the title, did anyone read my sig?

[anatess]

Hoggie vs Hogger... Ahh but I like the sound of hoggie because it rhymes with bp.

Our new hoggie is major stressed too. He's hissing like crazy, spreading his hood like a cobra! Kinda funny. We're leaving him alone for a week to get him used to his new home. He hasn't gone to the fake-striking stage yet though.

[Aeries]

Mine has calmed down leaps and bounds from what she was when I originally brought her home. I handle her everyday except the two after feeding. I just open it up and pick her up right away. She'll puff herself up for a hiss when reach my hand it there, but once I pick her up she stops right away, and is perfectly fine for the uration that she is out. If she is out and about and moving when I go to grab her, she usually won't hiss at all.

The only thing she throws hissy fits about now is feeding. She will hiss and false strike at that poor rat for a few minutes before she'll eat it.

[Hardwikk]

Hoggie vs Hogger... Ahh but I like the sound of hoggie because it rhymes with bp.

Our new hoggie is major stressed too. He's hissing like crazy, spreading his hood like a cobra! Kinda funny. We're leaving him alone for a week to get him used to his new home. He hasn't gone to the fake-striking stage yet though.

Oh no, she has joined FloridaHogs and her evil legion! Thinking of switching sides? Cobra hoods, hissing, fake strikes-IMO they're all of them the same thing. I wouldn't really call them stages, just the various ways of Hogger bluffing (and mine does all 3!). It is pretty funny, especially when an 11-inch snake (that when coiled can fit in your palm) tries to scare you .

[snakelover88]

Oh no, she has joined FloridaHogs and her evil legion! Thinking of switching sides? Cobra hoods, hissing, fake strikes-IMO they're all of them the same thing. I wouldn't really call them stages, just the various ways of Hogger bluffing (and mine does all 3!). It is pretty funny, especially when an 11-inch snake (that when coiled can fit in your palm) tries to scare you .

Oh he definitly does all three too! It of course startles us when he does it but we are not afraid to handle him by any means, he just puts up a front to be big, bad and mean. I just didn't know if hoggies were reputable for this or if our poor guy just wasn't ever held. What does everyone feed there hoggies? My little guy eats about 6 pinkies a week. We just put them all in there and he goes to town. He has quite an appetite on him. He would probably eat more if we let him but 6 seems quite a bit right?

[Dragnbaron]

Oh he definitly does all three too! It of course startles us when he does it but we are not afraid to handle him by any means, he just puts up a front to be big, bad and mean. I just didn't know if hoggies were reputable for this or if our poor guy just wasn't ever held. What does everyone feed there hoggies? My little guy eats about 6 pinkies a week. We just put them all in there and he goes to town. He has quite an appetite on him. He would probably eat more if we let him but 6 seems quite a bit right?

Wow, if he's eating that much you may want to switch to fuzzies or rat pups. 6 is quite alot and the younger the feed is the less nutrition it has because it cannot yet metabolize alot of the vitamins and nutrients. Rats are just better for feeding them anyway. They have much more protien and a larger size.
My full grown hoggs can eat 1 or 2 rat pups a week. If they get picky and need something stinky they can eat up to 5 large fuzzies or hoppers a week.
Try some larger prey, but don't go crazy. Don't feed it anything that can fight back or only feed then F/T.
So, it's a boy... If it was a girl and she was hungry i would say, let her eat as much as she wants, but the boys will stay smaller and i like my girls to grow big and lay good eggs. Feed your hognose some larger prey and let him eat as much as he needs. If he regurgitates anything i would then reccomend limiting his food intake.
Good luck!
p.s. you should get soem pictures of him up!

[snakelover88]

Wow, if he's eating that much you may want to switch to fuzzies or rat pups. 6 is quite alot and the younger the feed is the less nutrition it has because it cannot yet metabolize alot of the vitamins and nutrients. Rats are just better for feeding them anyway. They have much more protien and a larger size.
My full grown hoggs can eat 1 or 2 rat pups a week. If they get picky and need something stinky they can eat up to 5 large fuzzies or hoppers a week.
Try some larger prey, but don't go crazy. Don't feed it anything that can fight back or only feed then F/T.
So, it's a boy... If it was a girl and she was hungry i would say, let her eat as much as she wants, but the boys will stay smaller and i like my girls to grow big and lay good eggs. Feed your hognose some larger prey and let him eat as much as he needs. If he regurgitates anything i would then reccomend limiting his food intake.
Good luck!
p.s. you should get soem pictures of him up!

That is what is so strange, he won't eat anything larger than a pinkie! The guy we got him from said that he was a male and that his vet sexed him. He said that he had never been able to feed him anything larger than a pinkie. Strange huh? I've tried slowly moving up to a fuzzy f/t and live and he runs and hides from the live and then just strikes the f/t several times and then leaves it alone. The guy tried to tell us he would only eat live which was a lie, he eats f/t just fine. Should I be concerned about him not wanting to eat anything larger? Is there anything I can do to make sure he gets the right nutrition? Now i'm super concerned! He is super active and really is a beautiful guy! I will get some pics up asap! Do you think maybe it's time to take little hoggie to the vet?

[Dragnbaron]

That is what is so strange, he won't eat anything larger than a pinkie! The guy we got him from said that he was a male and that his vet sexed him. He said that he had never been able to feed him anything larger than a pinkie. Strange huh? I've tried slowly moving up to a fuzzy f/t and live and he runs and hides from the live and then just strikes the f/t several times and then leaves it alone. The guy tried to tell us he would only eat live which was a lie, he eats f/t just fine. Should I be concerned about him not wanting to eat anything larger? Is there anything I can do to make sure he gets the right nutrition? Now i'm super concerned! He is super active and really is a beautiful guy! I will get some pics up asap! Do you think maybe it's time to take little hoggie to the vet?

Nope, just don't give him the pinky option. If you only feed him rat pups he'll be forced to eat them. Granted, you need to work him up to it, but if you feed him something slightly larger each week he'll eventually get the idea. If he's active, heavy, and seems to be all healthy than a vet visit will tell you you have a snake that is healthy who doesn't like to chew much
Just work him up to larger prey, is he on F/T now?