Meet Chanco! Chanco is an Juvenile Eastern Hognose (Heterodon platirhinos). Chanco came to us from a family not longer able to take care of him. Eastern Hognose Snakes have a very specialized diet.
Sometimes called puff adders, hog-nosed viper, hissing viper, (mountain) moccasin, North American adder, spread-head viper, (spreading) viper, eastern hognose snakes are thick-bodied snakes that reach about 46 in long. The most distinguishing feature for Eastern Hognose Snakes is the upturned snout, used for digging in sandy soils.
Coloration is highly variable. Its color can be brown, tan, yellowish, grayish, or reddish with brown, black or reddish blotches and tail bands or any combination therein depending on locality. They can be blotched, checkered, or pattern less. The belly tends to be a solid grey, yellow or cream colored. Some herpetologists believe the wide variation in color and high variability throughout its range is due to the relatively recent development of the Eastern hognose. They believe successful coloration and pattern has still not yet developed to ensure the survival of the species. The scales of this snake are keeled and the underside of the tail is usually lighter than the rest of the venter. The females of this species have a tail that has a fine taper to the end of the tail, while the males have a slight bulge near the cloacae and the tail then tapers off drastically.
The Eastern Hognose is most common in and along the margins of fallow and cultivated fields, and in or near forests, especially in dry, relatively open areas where sands or porous loams are the principle soils. Easterns are more likely to be found in drier environments and avoid swampy or marshy areas. Inasmuch as toads are the primary food item, eastern hognoses may be most likely to found in areas where toads frequent, especially loose soils where they burrow. While eastern hognoses are considered fossorial, they are usually found abroad during the morning and afternoon hours, foraging for food.
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| Chanco Eating a Yummy Toad |
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| Fowlers Toad |
Eastern hognosed snakes feed primarily on amphibians with toads and frogs making up the majority of their diet. Due to their slow movement and sluggish behavior, they are most likely ambush predators and opportunistic feeders. They prey on frogs, salamanders, small mammals, birds, and invertebrates; but toads are their favorite and almost exclusive food in most areas. Hognose snakes seem to be immune to poisons produced by toads, and are equipped with large teeth (called rear fangs) in the back of their mouths that are used to puncture inflated toads so that they may be more easily swallowed. Eastern hognose snakes generally became sexually mature at about two years of age. Chanco loves to eat Fowlers Toads.
When disturbed, hognoses flatten their head and neck, spreading their vertebrae much like a cobra, owing to their nickname, "puff adder." The Hognose Snake is renowned for its "death feigning" behavior. This act gives the snake an almost impish grin when viewed from head-on. While spreading its "hood," the hognose emits a loud hissing noise like steam escaping from kettle. Occasionally the bluffing snake will repeatedly strike at the would-be attacker but with its mouth closed. If the hissing, hooding and striking fail to dissuade the attacker, the hognose will writhe with its mouth wide open, tongue lolling. Some snakes will eject blood from their lachrymal glands and emit musk from their cloacae. It may play dead for several minutes before cautiously turning over, looking around to see if it is safe before crawling away. The belief is that a predator will instinctively ignore a dead animal that smells offensive. Of course, if the hognose is righted, it will turn over on its back and again open its mouth.
Hognose snakes are active strictly by day and are often seen crossing roads in the spring and fall. They are oviparous, breed in spring and usually deposit about 15-25 eggs in a depression in sandy soils under rocks or logs. The eggs incubate for about 1 to 2 months.
Conservation Status: Heterodon platirhinos is currently common in our region and is not protected by any southern states or the federal government.
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