Eastern hognose snake
The Eastern hognose snake, known for its dramatic defensive behaviors, is a fascinating non-venomous reptile found in the eastern United States. When threatened, these snakes exhibit a unique display, puffing out their heads and hissing loudly, mimicking the actions of venomous snakes, although they rarely bite. They belong to the family Colubridae and typically measure between 1 and 1.5 feet long. Breeding occurs in the spring, and females lay clutches of 8 to 40 eggs, which hatch after about 60 days.
Eastern hognose snakes have a distinctive appearance, characterized by their upturned noses and large dark spots along their backs. They possess heat-sensory pits, allowing them to detect temperature variations in their environment, which assists in hunting. These solitary and carnivorous reptiles primarily feed on amphibians like toads and frogs, swallowing their prey whole. Despite their harmless nature, Eastern hognose snakes often face threats from humans who mistakenly believe they are poisonous. With a lifespan of 12 to 18 years, they also engage in hibernation during the winter months.
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Eastern hognose snake
Eastern hognose snakes are sometimes called the great pretenders of harmless snakes. When threatened, they puff out their heads, hiss loudly, and strike at their attackers as if they were venomous, or poisonous, cobras. They put on a grand show but rarely actually bite.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Heterodon
Species: Platirhinos
Every August and September, groups of young eastern hognose snakes break free from their shells and begin their lives in the sandy soil of the eastern United States. Adult eastern hognose snakes mate in April and May and lay clutches, or batches, of 8 to 40 eggs in June and July, though the average number of eggs is 25. They lay their eggs under leaves, rocks, or logs, or dig burrows to keep the eggs safe. The eggs hatch after 60 days and the young, called snakelets, are independent at birth.
Unlike most harmless snakes, eastern hognose snakes have thick bodies and heads and upturned noses. When frightened, they flare out their thick heads like cobras. Above their upturned noses, eastern hognose snakes have two small holes, called pits. These pits are heat-sensory organs that read temperatures called infrared heat rays. These rays help the snakes identify the difference between an animal and its surroundings. Although eastern hognose snakes may be yellow, gray, pinkish brown, or black, all are patterned with large, dark spots along their backs. Like other snakes, eastern hognose snakes have brilles instead of eyelids. Brilles are transparent, or clear, coverings that shield snakes' eyes from dirt. They often cause snakes to have a dazed, glassy-eyed appearance. Eastern hognose snakes also have round pupils, like humans. Pupils are the black parts of the eyes in the middle of the iris, or the colored part of the eye, which open and close to let in light. Eastern hognose snakes generally grow to be between 1 and 1 1/2 feet (60 and 75 centimeters) long and have a life span of 12 to 18 years.
As eastern hognose snakes slither through the grass and weeds, they flick out their forked tongues to search their surroundings. Like other snakes, eastern hognose snakes pick up chemicals on their tongues. They carry those chemicals back into their mouths and place them in special organs, specifically designed to measure their environment’s chemicals. This knowledge helps the snakes trail prey, recognize predators, and find mates. These snakes are solitary animals that hibernate in the winter.
Eastern hognose snakes are carnivorous reptiles. This means they eat only meat. Their diet includes a variety of toads, newts, frogs, and salamanders. Like all snakes, eastern hognose snakes swallow their prey whole. Eastern hognose snakes are mainly threatened by humans who think they are poisonous snakes.
Bibliography
"Eastern Hognose Snake." A-Z Animals, 8 Aug. 2022, a-z-animals.com/animals/eastern-hognose-snake. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.
Jessee, Renee. "Heterodon Platirhinos." Animal Diversity Web, 2019, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Heterodon‗platirhinos. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.