Is this a hognose snake?
Posted by Susan Simon on October 19, 2007
Q: I found this brilliant snake in my yard very close to the house. when prodded, it flattened its head and coiled up (as the pic shows). Is it a hognose? Thanks
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: West Virginia
Habitat: suburban/yard
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A: Indeed it is — and a beautiful one at that. Hognose snakes are famous for the threat displays they do, from coiling and striking, to "spreading the hood" like a cobra, to playing dead. They will even go so far as to regurgitate and spit up blood! They are harmless, attractive snakes however, and are fairly common in the Southeast. They come in three color morphs — the bright orange morph you found, a drab cream-and-brown morph, and an all black morph. Hognose snakes eat mostly toads, and are typically found in sandy soils where toads are abundant. I believe they use the upturned "snout" (a scale, actually) to dig up toads that have burrowed down into the soil.
Solon Morse ( October 19, 2007)