Hognose Snake Care Calculators & Charts

Last updated: September 25, 2026 · Reviewed against sources listed below

Hognose snake care is easy to get right once you know the numbers: mouse size, days between meals, a warm basking spot and fairly dry air. This hognose snake care sheet gathers them in one place, with a feeding calculator that works from your snake’s weight.

Quick facts

Adult length

1.2–3 ft36–91 cm

Lifespan

12–15 years

Adult weight

60–400 g (2–14 oz)60–400 g

Diet

Carnivore (mice)

Basking spot

88–95°F31–35°C

Humidity

30–50%

Hognose Snake calculators

Hognose Snake charts and guides

Hognose snake care at a glance

The western hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus) comes from the prairies and sandy grasslands of the central United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico. Its upturned snout is a digging tool, and it spends much of its time burrowed in loose soil. It is small, bold and full of personality, and with good care it usually lives 12–15 years, sometimes longer.

Males and females are very different sizes. Adult males usually measure 14–24 inches and weigh 60–160 g (2.1–5.6 oz)60–160 g. Females grow much larger, up to about 3 feet and 150–400 g (5–14 oz)150–400 g. That difference affects prey size and enclosure size, so it helps to know the sex of your snake.

Heat. Give a basking spot of about 88–95°F31–35°C, a cool end of 75–80°F24–27°C, and nights of about 65–75°F18–24°C. Run every heat source on a thermostat.

Humidity. Western hognoses like fairly dry air, about 30–50%, which most homes provide without extra effort.

Substrate. Hognoses are built to burrow. Give them at least 3 inches of loose substrate, and 4–5 inches for large females.

Feeding. Pet hognoses usually eat frozen-thawed mice. Prey size and interval depend on weight, which is what our hognose feeding chart and snake feeding calculator work out.

Hooding, hissing and playing dead

Hognoses are famous for their defensive act. When startled, a hognose flattens its neck like a cobra, hisses loudly and makes bluff strikes with its mouth closed. If that does not work, it rolls onto its back, opens its mouth, lets its tongue hang out and plays dead. It is harmless theater: the snake is fine and will right itself once it feels safe. Put it back in its enclosure, leave the room for a few minutes, and avoid picking it up from above, which looks like a predator.

Most hognoses stop the show once they are used to gentle handling. Hognoses are rear-fanged, but they are not regarded as dangerously venomous. They very rarely bite in defense, and no deaths or serious whole-body effects from a bite have been recorded. Wash any bite with soap and water, and see a doctor if it swells.

How our tools help

Weigh your snake in grams and enter it in the snake feeding calculator for the prey weight, mouse size and days between meals. Compare its weight with the hognose growth chart, size its home with the enclosure calculator, and check your readings with the temperature and humidity checker.

Common beginner mistakes

1. Too little substrate. Hognoses need to burrow. A thin layer of bedding or paper towel leaves them stressed and exposed.
2. Overfeeding. Hognoses gain weight easily, especially on a diet of only mice. Follow the interval for your snake’s weight and watch its body shape.
3. Panicking over playing dead. Rolling over is a normal defensive act, not a medical emergency. Leave the snake alone and it will recover.
4. Humidity that is too high. Western hognoses come from dry grasslands. Constantly damp substrate can cause skin and breathing problems.
5. Housing two together. Hognoses are solitary and do best alone. Two snakes in one enclosure stress each other and compete for food.

Recommended hognose snake gear

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Deep loose substrate

Aspen or a soil and sand mix at least 3 inches deep lets your hognose burrow.

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Thermostat

Every heat source should run on one to prevent burns and overheating.

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Digital thermometer with probe

Checks the basking spot and cool end accurately.

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Digital kitchen scale (grams)

Small snakes need small prey, and weight is the only reliable guide.

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Sources

• Tree of Life Exotic Pet Medical Center — Western Hognose Snake Care
• ReptiFiles — Hognose Snake Care Guide
• ReptiFiles — Hognose Snake Temperatures, Humidity & Lighting
• Reptiles Magazine — Western Hognose Snake Care Sheet
• Wikipedia — Western hognose snake

Where sources disagree we show the range they share. See our sources and methodology for how every number is checked.

Results are estimates for healthy animals. Always consult a reptile veterinarian for individual advice. Read our disclaimer.