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Hognose snakes
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by S4L on August 7, 2001
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Hognose snakes are rear fanged snakes, but not venomous. So whats exactly the with them then???
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RE: Hognose snakes
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by wlspencer on August 7, 2001
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If I am correct, hognose are not rear fanged, they have enlarged grooved (not hollow) teeth at the back of their jaw. They are not listed as non-venomous because they have no venom glands and no venom. They have a somewhat toxic saliva that helps to immobilize their prey (mainly frogs). I have read that their bite is painful, although I have never heard of a human bite and I have encountered several over the years. They do, however, put on quite a display. If you are not expecting it, this snake can appear quite intimidating, at least until he decides this isn’t working and then plays dead, which is another story in itself.
wls
reptilez@bellsouth.net
p.s. I am quoting all this from memory, and at 34, I'm not sure how good that memory is. Most people in America would question the mind of someone who likes snakes (especially venomous) anyway. Hope this helps...
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RE: Hognose snakes
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by S4L on August 7, 2001
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Heh...thanks and yea, It will be a truly special sight when i see my first hognose.
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RE: Hognose snakes
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by Mojo on August 8, 2001
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A girl at the university I go to got bit by one helping out in the herp lab and her hand got pretty swollen. I think it was most likely an allergic reaction, thats just my guess. Whether or not they are venomous or not as far as I understand has always been debated or not quite understood. But in anycase it is trivial since bites hardly ever occur, I only know of the one case above, and when they do the worst that could possibly happen would be the above.
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RE: Hognose snakes and rear-fanged venomous
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by Naja_oxiana on August 8, 2001
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The question at hand is not whether or not Heterodon is venomous. They are opistoglyphous and have a Duvernoy's Gland. That is where their so-called "toxic slaiva" comes from. Remember, the mechanics of a rear-fanged snake are vastly different than the fron't fanged snakes.
Heterodon are technically venomous because their Duvernoy's Gland and rear fangs allow them to inject a toxic protein. However, they are not of medical signifigance to humans. Any reaction is likely to be an allergic reaction. BGF has started doing extensive research into rear-fanged snakes in general and he is working on a few Heterodon.
Cheers
Roger
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RE: Hognose snakes
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by CASCABELLADONNA on August 8, 2001
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REMEMBER HOW EVERYONE HAS BEEN TELLING YOU HOW HARD COPPERS ARE TO FIND AROUND HERE? HOGNOSES ARE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND:) LOL. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAS A SPECIMEN SAVED AFTER BEING HIT ON THE ROAD, BUT OTHER THAN THAT I DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE HERE WHO HAS FOUND ONE.
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RE: Hognose snakes
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by S4L on August 8, 2001
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Thank you for replying. I really do think it's funny how mutch info u can get on some snakes that are very rare yet you will never find anything on hognoses. Reason I asked is because I was thinking about getting one, and venom would be a way of how i would handle the snake of course.
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RE: Hognose snakes
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by wlspencer on August 8, 2001
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I have only seen two in the wild, captured and released both, but have handled many....I knew a man in SC who had great success in breading them. I handled them just like I would a very calm boa of the same size. All of his had lost there desire to play dead though. As I understand it, this is normal of captive ones.
wls
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RE: Hognose snakes
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by filthy on August 8, 2001
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Hi S4L,
Hogs are indeed opistoglyphs - rear-fanged venomous, as stated and very well described previously.
I've found 3 this year. I don't bother to keep them due to their specialized feeding habits: toads and frogs, only. Neonates are especally delicate.
They are fun and interesting to observe, and I can never resist teasing them a little.
luck,
f
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RE: Hognose snakes and rear-fanged venomous
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by Naja_oxiana on August 8, 2001
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If I may expand a little bit...
THe rear "fang" of any rear-fanged snake is not a fang like an elapid or viper would have, but rather an enlarged, grooved tooth or teeth. A duct from the Duvernoy's Gland opens at the base of these "fangs" and the snake has to break the epidermis with them.
While your front-fanged snakes strike and will immediatly puncture the epidermis and compress the venom storage sacks. A rear-fanged snake but chew into the epidermis and, due to the fact that the gland only opens at the base of the "fang(s)", literally leak some of the venom into the prey. If you allowed a Heterodon to chew on you for some time, I suspect that you would get enough of whatever the Duvernoy's Gland produced to get some kind of envenomation. (In the handfull of rumors of envenomation by these snakes, this is what I suspect happened.) So Don't let them chew on you.
Cheers
Roger
The "fang(s)" also serve another advantage. If a frog inflates itself, it can be hard to swallow, thus a rear-fang can prevent the frog from blowing itself up.
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