Identification
The
Eastern Hognose Snake gets its name from its upturned snout and broad head.
The broad head often gives people the false impression that it is venomous.
Coloration is quite variable in this snake. Individuals may be almost uniformly
black, brown, olive, or gray, or they may have a pattern of irregular, dark
blotches running down the back, alternating with dark spots on each side on
a background mottled with many colors including yellow, brown, gray, olive,
orange, or red. This snake usually measures from 20 to 30 inches in length.
The young are yellow to tan with light grayish-brown blotches. Their bellies
are a dark slate color. Similar species include: Western
Fox Snake, Bullsnake
Distribution and Status
The Eastern Hognose Snake is found virtually statewide in Indiana and is considered common.
Ecology
When threatened, the hognose snake exhibits perhaps the most unusual bluffing behavior of all the snake species of Indiana. This behavior begins with the snake inflating its head and coiling. It will hiss loudly and strike (with its mouth closed). If this display fails to scare a potential predator away, the hog-nosed snake plays dead by rolling over on its back with its mouth open and tongue hanging out. It may also release a foul smell. Curiously, if the “dead” snake is placed back on its belly, it quickly dies again, rolling upside-down yet another time. The snake remains in this position until it feels safe, then has a look around and moves away. The hognose snake is found in dry habitats such as fields and forest edges. It preys primarily on toads and salamanders.
Resources
General reference guides
and websites.
Bruce Kingsbury, Director
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Science Building
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 East Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499