Eastern Hognose Snake

[RonL]

I went up to my property in the mountains of New Hampshire for a couple of days. I got up at about 4 AM and went outside my trailer to relieve myself. I just barely caught the tail end of a snake slithering off into the underbrush. It had gray and brownish ring markings. the part that i saw was about 8 inches long and was about 3/4 inches in diameter.
I asked a neighbor what kind of snakes are common in the area. He said it was probably an "adder". I looked up snakes and found the Eastern Hognose Snake. The tail end looked just like what I saw. Apparently what I saw was the tip of the "iceberg". Probably keeps the rodent population down. Glad I didn't accidentally step on him. Thats why I like to shine the light around in the middle of the night before I step out of the trailer.
The web site that I looked at said they are native to extreme southern New Hampshire. This one probably just vacations in the Northern mountains.

RonL

 

[dieselalles]

My first encounter with an "adder" was in a cotton field years ago where I was chopping cotton. He raised up and spread his hood like a cobra, making a rattling sound like a rattle snake. I thought I was a goner and I remember knocking down a good bit of cotton trying to get out of his way. My dad, who was with me, raised his boot towards the snake and it harmlessly bumped it with his nose. My dad then started pinning him down with his boot to show me what an adder will do if his elaborate show of defense doesn't work. He rolled over with his tongue hanging out and played dead. And the funny thing was when you tried to flip him over on his belly, he would flip right back over on his back. So we left him alone and went back to work knocking the weeds out of the rows of cotton.

From what I understand, this is a very beneficial snake that is basically harmless. Yeah, he will scare the be-gee-bers out of you but that's about it. I still wouldn't mess with him too much out of fear he might get agitated and lock down on my hand with what teeth he does have.

 

[jinman]

Back in the 70's I was in the US Navy and owned a house in Deep Creek, Va. I was surrounded by woods on both sides and often found black snakes in my yard. One day I found this little hognose when I had a lot of time to spare. I must have played with that snake for over two hours before I let him go. I even got out my 35mm camera and took up a full roll of film. I still have the pictures somewhere. The poor snake surely thought I was giving him cruel and unusual punishment before I let him go.

 

[WTA]

Be carefull playing with them, they are mildly venomous. Look at this crazy person demonstrating: hognose snake bite

One of my cats here was recently snake bit and almost died. We have lots of western hognoses around us and the once a year maybe sighting of a prairie rattler. I don't know which one got him but I seriously doubt he would have survived a rattler bite. He lost about half his weight and the wound took about 2 months to heal completely. It cost me a fortune in wasted money at the vets office too. He couldn't figure out what it was or what to do without a dead snake to look at.
These things get you by chewing and have rear fangs to get it in deep enough to do damage. They would have to get something small like a finger to even get the fangs in but they do have them so just keep that in mind if you play with them. My son keeps bring home baby ones but when they get big enough to wrap their jaws around a finger they go back out to the yard.