Colubrids: Colubridae - Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (heterodon Platirhinos): Species Accounts

EASTERN HOG-NOSED SNAKE (Heterodon platirhinos): SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Physical characteristics: The eastern hog-nosed snake has a thick body and a wide head with an upward-curving snout, or nose area. Its scales form ridges, or raised areas, and the snake's back usually is covered with brown spots scattered over a yellowish, orangey, gray, or olive green background. The spots, however, may be faded or missing entirely. Occasionally, a snake may be completely black. Adults are typically about 30 inches (76 centimeters) long, but they can grow to more than 45 inches (114 centimeters).

Geographic range: The eastern hog-nosed snake is found in Canada and the United States. It lives throughout most of the eastern half of the United States and into southern Ontario, Canada.

Some people call this snake a hissing adder, puff adder, or spread adder, because it spreads out its neck as a cobra does and makes loud hissing noises when threatened. (Illustration by Barbara Duperron. Reproduced by permission.)

Habitat: This snake likes drier areas, including fields and forests.

Diet: Eastern hog-nosed snakes eat mainly toads, but they will also sometimes eat frogs, salamanders, and small mammals. Toads will often puff up their bodies with air to protect themselves from attackers, but hog-nosed snakes have long rear fangs that puncture and help deflate the toads in much the same way that a pin lets the air out of a balloon.

Behavior and reproduction: Some people call this snake a hissing adder, puff adder, or spread adder, because it spreads out its neck as a cobra does and makes loud hissing noises when threatened. If these defense moves fail, the snake may strike at the attacker, but almost always with its mouth closed. It does not actually bite. If necessary, the snake may follow up by vomiting, smearing its own waste over its body, or going into a squirming fit. As a last resort, it will roll onto its back, open its mouth with its tongue dragging, and play dead. If the attacker turns the snake onto its belly, it will promptly roll onto its back again as if it can play dead only when it is upside down. Once the attacker leaves, the snake turns over and scoots away.

This is an egg-laying snake. Females usually lay about twenty eggs at a time, although some lay up to sixty.

Eastern hog-nosed snakes and people: People frequently mistake this harmless snake for a venomous snake and kill it.

Conservation status: The eastern hog-nosed snake is not endangered or threatened. ∎