| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Chromisca |
Posted - 12/11/2010 : 13:44:40
Hey there! Some of you will know me as Lixra on the sister Corn Snake site. As the title says, yes I've just registered here, as my husband and I are going to be getting our first hognose!
Now, I've never kept hognoses before, but have kept some colubrid species (Corns and Gophers). The hognose we're getting is going to be strictly a pet, not for breeding. So as far as sex, I suppose it doesn't really matter 
Just had a few questions to the more experienced on here regarding the care.
Most caresheets I've seen recommend 85 F (I'm American, though live in the UK now, don't do the Celsius thing very well, sorry). Is this the high end temp, or the happy medium temperature that most recommend?
From what I've read, these guys like to dig (hence their adorable nose!) but don't do so well with high humidity. Is Aspen the best choice for a substrate for them? Just as a side note, the new hognose will be kept on unprinted newspaper for the first month so I can monitor how he/she is settling in.
Is there a group of breeders you could recommend? I've seem to be unsuccessful finding any. It's is November, so I appreciate the fact that there might not be very many hatchlings left at this time. But we are planning on visiting the Doncaster show this June.
Final question: I never thought of this as a concern, but my husband did bring up the other day. In Florida, you actually need a venomous permit (equivalent of a DWA) to keep hognoses, as they are rear fanged colubrids. His concern, is in my family history, as we seem to have an extensive history of allergies. My mother is allergic to wasp stings (not bees, but wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, etc), my sister is allergic to pretty much every fruit known to man, and myself am allergic to cats, mold, dust and pollen. His concern is, on the rare chance I do get bit, I could have a bad allergic reaction. I believe his concern comes from a story posted by some jack wagon who got bit by his hognose, let him chew on him for a few minutes and developed a bad allergic reaction. He did not go to his doctor or A&E, and let it correct itself. Obviously, if something like this did happen and I had a reaction (and no, I wouldn't let the snake chew on me for as long as he did!), I would seek medical attention and get prescribed an EPI pen if needed.
Okay TLDR: With the allergy history present in my family, should I reconsider my choice in getting a hognose?
Sorry for the huge post and all the questions, but do want to get this right 
Thanks for any replies you can throw my way in advance! 
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| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Chromisca |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 21:10:09
We were allowed to keep them in my home state (New Hampshire) without a permit, but over in the US it's really state controlled what is allowed and what's not, like I mentioned before, Florida does require a permit to keep them. I know the chance of actually getting envenomated are very low, but my husband's concern was I guess with my allergy history and my family's history as well. I suppose it's the same as keeping tarantulas (and I believe False Water Cobras are rear fanged as well... if memory serves!)
Just keeping an eye out for available 2010s from breeders now |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 20:08:46
Keep an eye out on the forum in regards hoggie envenoming because if my little hoggie ever decides to, then I shall be letting him have a chew so I can document it for this forum.
I WONT be encouraging him to do it (I'm not that stupid ), I have been bitten by all of my snakes at one point or another it's just simply that if it happens then I shall be documenting everything.
I have no known allergies, so that will make a small difference but as said above; Hoggies mouths are so small, that the chances of them successfully envenomating are very low.
Still recommend getting a hoggie though, they're so cute. |
| Chromisca |
Posted - 12/11/2010 : 15:18:31
Hiya, thanks for the reply :)
I'll look into that pulped recycling paper, but I'll keep Aspen on for 2nd choice
I'm in Lancaster in the Northwest (close to the Lakes Region). My husband and I have used a courier in the past for his boas, when the breeder is based farther away from us, and we're really happy with the service he provides. That said, I would much prefer a local pickup if it's feasible
Thanks for the advice on the handling, think it'll put my husband's mind to rest. We do have a pair of gloves for handling our water monitor, he's not aggressive, just very sharp claws! So getting a second pair for the hoggy would probably be a good idea. My mother is the one with the wasp allergy, and as far as I'm aware I haven't inherited that from her, but that last time I was stung I was young, so better safe than sorry!
Again, thanks for the reply! |
| LouiseB |
Posted - 12/11/2010 : 14:53:24
Hello, and welcome to hoggies!
I think that 85F would be the high end temperature - you wouldn't want it to get much hotter than that. Hoggies are usually kept about 5F warmer than corns, if that helps. And no, they don't need high humidity because they come from dry deserty type regions in the wild!
Aspen is good, but anything that they can burrow in will work. I use a type of plulped recycled paper (unprinted) so I think the newspaper would be perfectly OK, as long as they can make their little tunnels.
Breeders - there are a few on here, where do you live? I don't personally know where they're all based, but there were several hoggy babies at Doncaster in September.
The venom issue is a popular one on here! I think that if you have a predisposition towards allergic reactions to wasps/bees etc, then you should use a little extra caution handling a hoggy, but I wouldn't say it's enough of an issue to stop you getting one. Maybe wear gloves when you're feeding, but the rest of the time you can probably manage without. They bite so rarely, and even when they do their mouths are so small that they would have difficulty piercing a human hand with their rear-sited fangs! My hoggy has bitten me once and it was because he made a lunge at a pinky I was feeding him, and missed. His fangs were so tiny that they didn't even manage to break my skin. The risk is pretty small and it can be easily minimised, so I would definitely go for it! |
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