Heterodon nasicus
Western hognose snake
A terrestrial cage with burrowing substrate and a warm hide.
Legal status
- Check local rules
Heterodon nasicus is not recorded here as listed in the CITES Appendices. No EU wildlife-trade annex was verified for this species, so the annex field is empty. It is not marked on the EU list of invasive alien species and it is not marked as venomous. National and regional rules can still restrict keeping. Not marked venomous in this database. The health note describes the mild rear-fanged bite so you can check local rules. Check local rules before you keep, move, or rehome an animal. This record is not a permit and not legal advice.
Official sourceNot legal advice. Rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Check the law that applies to you.
- Temperature
- 24–30°C
- Basking
- 30–32°C
- UVB
- Ferguson zone 1. About 0.1–0.7
- Humidity
- 30–50%
- Minimum enclosure
- About 90 × 45 × 45 cm for an adult female
- Adult size
- Males often 35–50 cm. Females often 60–90 cm.
- Lifespan
- Often 15–20 years.
- Difficulty
- intermediate
Diet and feeding
Rodents. Some animals scent-trained from other prey. Every 5 days for juveniles. Every 7 days or so for adults.
Substrate
Aspen or a dry soil mix.
Health
This is a rear-fanged species with a mild venom. Local swelling is reported in bites. It is not marked as a venomous species in the legal fields. Check whether your region regulates rear-fanged snakes. Also watch for refusals and respiratory infection.
Handling
They bluff. A bite is still a bite. People with a venom allergy should not handle them.
Husbandry ranges are general guidance for captive care, not a veterinary prescription or a permit. Confirm the gradient with your own thermometers. UV zones follow Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1), 2016, https://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150. Legal fields use the source link on this species and stay empty when an annex was not verified.