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Description
Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platirhinos), at King's Mountain, South Carolina.
The Eastern Hognose Snake (or Spread Adder) is a harmless colubrid species found in North America. Adults average 71 cm (28 inches) in length, with females being larger than males. 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 cloaca and the tail then tapers off drastically. The most distinguishing feature is the upturned snout, used for digging in sandy soils. The color pattern is extremely variable. It color can be red, green, orange, brown, grey to black, or any combination therein depending on locality. They can be blotched, checkered, or patternless. The belly tends to be a solid grey, yellow or cream colored.
These snakes are considered rear-fanged, but any venom they excrete is not considered dangerous to humans and they are not inclined to bite.
When threatened, the neck is flattened and the head is raised off the ground, not unlike a cobra. They also hiss and sometimes feign strikes, but are not apt to bite. If this threat display does not work to deter a would-be predator, hognose snakes will often roll onto their back and play dead, going so far as to emit a foul musk from their cloaca and let their tongue hang out of their mouth. If they are rolled upright while in this state, they will often roll back as if insisting they are really dead.
Hognose snakes are active strictly by day and are often seen crossing roads in the spring and fall. The Eastern Hognose Snake specializes in feeding on toads, having an immunity to the toxins toads secrete. It hunts them in the toads' burrows during the day, using its upturned nose to root them out. As a defense to being eaten, toads will blow themselves up like a balloon. The Hognose has an answer to this defense. The snake has some rear teeth with are much longer than the others, called rear fangs. These teeth will puncture the toad's skin and deflate it. They will also consume other amphibians, like frogs and salamanders.
More info: [link] , [link]
The Eastern Hognose Snake (or Spread Adder) is a harmless colubrid species found in North America. Adults average 71 cm (28 inches) in length, with females being larger than males. 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 cloaca and the tail then tapers off drastically. The most distinguishing feature is the upturned snout, used for digging in sandy soils. The color pattern is extremely variable. It color can be red, green, orange, brown, grey to black, or any combination therein depending on locality. They can be blotched, checkered, or patternless. The belly tends to be a solid grey, yellow or cream colored.
These snakes are considered rear-fanged, but any venom they excrete is not considered dangerous to humans and they are not inclined to bite.
When threatened, the neck is flattened and the head is raised off the ground, not unlike a cobra. They also hiss and sometimes feign strikes, but are not apt to bite. If this threat display does not work to deter a would-be predator, hognose snakes will often roll onto their back and play dead, going so far as to emit a foul musk from their cloaca and let their tongue hang out of their mouth. If they are rolled upright while in this state, they will often roll back as if insisting they are really dead.
Hognose snakes are active strictly by day and are often seen crossing roads in the spring and fall. The Eastern Hognose Snake specializes in feeding on toads, having an immunity to the toxins toads secrete. It hunts them in the toads' burrows during the day, using its upturned nose to root them out. As a defense to being eaten, toads will blow themselves up like a balloon. The Hognose has an answer to this defense. The snake has some rear teeth with are much longer than the others, called rear fangs. These teeth will puncture the toad's skin and deflate it. They will also consume other amphibians, like frogs and salamanders.
More info: [link] , [link]
Image size
3939x3030px 4.49 MB
Make
Canon
Model
Canon EOS 50D
Shutter Speed
1/332 second
Aperture
F/8.0
Focal Length
100 mm
ISO Speed
400
Date Taken
Jul 18, 2009, 12:27:57 PM
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Comments14
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I saw one of these in Florida once. It was backing out from under a burrow after getting a frog. It curled up when it noticed me.
Nice shot of this one!