CARE SHEET
Life Expectancy - 20+ years with proper care
Native Land - America and Mexico
Estimated Size - Average of 24”-36" in length with females being typically larger
HOUSING
For a hatchling, a ten gallon tank is a good starting size. They are small as hatchlings and too much space might feel overwhelming and make your baby feel insecure. As adults, a 20 gallon tank will easily house a single adult. Make sure that you have a secure lid and appropriate ventilation. Colubrids are notoriously skilled at escaping. Ventilation is key for keeping the humidity levels down.
HEATING
To achieve a proper heat gradient in the enclosure, it is easiest to use a single heating element on just one side of the tank. Personally, I recommend an undertank heating mat stuck under one side of the tank. Some people will stick the mat to the side of the tank, while others will use a small ceramic heat emitter resting on top of the screen lid. Temperature can be regulated with use of a rheostat or thermostat, but most under tank heaters will only raise the average room temperature by 10-15 degrees. This will put the "hot spot" right at an appropriate 90 degrees in most circumstances. The rest of the enclosure can vary in temperature from 75 to 80 degrees.
SUBSTRATE
Hognose snakes love to burrow and will often cover themselves with substrate. For this reason, I recommend
using sani-chips or finely shredded aspen. This makes it easier for your Hognose to get where he needs to go without too much trouble involved.
DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
In the wild, Hognose Snakes have been known to eat frogs and toads. In captivity it sometimes necessary to "scent" feeder rodents to entice your snake to eat. Very often a Hognose will take whatever is offered, but be prepared for a picky eater just in case. Tuna fish "juice" will often serve as a replacement for frog or toad when it comes to scenting. Typically, these snakes will feed every 5-7 days on an appropriately sized rodent.
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