Hognose Snake Feeding Chart by Weight
Last updated: · Reviewed against sources listed below
This hognose snake feeding chart shows what size mouse to feed a hognose and how often, based on weight. Hatchlings eat every 4–5 days, juveniles every 5–7 days, and adults every 7–10 days, with prey no wider than the thickest part of the snake’s body.
Your snake’s feeding plan
- Prey weight
- Prey size
- Feed every
- Prey per month
This is the same calculator as our snake feeding calculator, preset for hognose snakes.
Hognose Snake feeding chart
Weigh your snake in grams, find its row, and pick the mouse size whose weight falls inside the prey range. Because males stay small, many adult males never need more than a hopper or weaned mouse.
| Snake weight | Prey weight | Typical prey size | Feed every |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hatchling 3–20 g | 10–15% of body weight about 0–3 g (0–0.11 oz)0–3 g | pinky mouse | 4–5 days |
| Juvenile 20–40 g | 10–15% of body weight about 2–6 g (0.07–0.21 oz)2–6 g | pinky mouse → fuzzy mouse | 5–7 days |
| Sub-adult 40–80 g | 10–12% of body weight about 4–10 g (0.14–0.35 oz)4–10 g | fuzzy mouse → hopper mouse | 7–10 days |
| Adult 80 g and up | 5–10% of body weight about 4–40 g (0.1–1.4 oz)4–40 g | fuzzy mouse → jumbo mouse | 7–10 days |
What size mouse for a hognose snake?
Prey should be no wider than the thickest part of your snake’s body. As a weight guide, that works out to about 10–15% of the snake’s body weight while it is growing and 5–10% once it is an adult.
For example, a 5 g hatchling eats a pinky mouse of about 1 g. A 40 g juvenile eats about 4–6 g, a fuzzy mouse. An 80 g adult male eats about 4–8 g, a fuzzy or small hopper. A 300 g adult female eats about 15–30 g, a weaned or adult mouse. Size names differ between suppliers, so always check the weight in grams.
Two smaller meals are safer than one very large one. If the right weight falls between sizes, offer the smaller size, or two small mice one after the other.
How often to feed a hognose snake
Hatchlings up to about 20 g eat every 4–5 days. Juveniles up to about 40 g eat every 5–7 days. Sub-adults up to about 80 g eat every 7–10 days, and adults eat every 7–10 days. Veterinary guidance gives every 4–5 days for juveniles and every 7–10 days for adults, and keeper guides suggest every one to two weeks once a snake is a year old.
Hognoses put on weight easily, so watch your snake’s shape as well as the scale. If an adult looks round with fat folds when it bends, lengthen the interval or feed smaller prey. Our calculator adjusts for underweight and overweight snakes.
Mice, and adding variety
Wild hognoses eat mostly toads and frogs, plus salamanders, lizards and reptile eggs. In captivity, frozen-thawed mice are the usual staple and are easy to buy and store. Keeper guides warn that hognoses fed only rodents are more likely to become overweight, so many owners add variety, such as frozen-thawed chicks, quail eggs or commercial sausage-style reptile diets that include frog or lizard.
Never feed wild-caught toads or frogs. They can carry parasites, and some toads are toxic.
Picky hatchlings and fasting adults
Some hatchlings are reluctant to take mice at first, because their instinct is to hunt amphibians. Warm the pinky to about body temperature, wiggle it gently with soft-tipped tongs, and try in the evening. Many keepers also “scent” the pinky by rubbing it against a food the snake recognizes, such as a frog-flavored reptile sausage. Patience usually works; most hatchlings switch within a few weeks.
Adults, especially males, often eat less or stop eating in late fall and winter, when wild hognoses brumate (a winter rest similar to hibernation). This is normal if the snake is healthy and not losing much weight.
See a reptile vet if your hognose loses more than about 10% of its body weight, if a hatchling has not eaten for several weeks, or if it shows signs such as wheezing, mucus at the mouth or nose, swelling or regurgitation.
What hognose snakes can and can’t eat
Good foods
- Frozen-thawed mice (usual staple)
- Pinky mice for hatchlings
- Frozen-thawed chicks or quail eggs for variety
- Commercial reptile sausage diets with frog or lizard
Avoid
- Wild-caught toads or frogs (parasites, toxins)
- Prey wider than the thickest part of the snake
- Live prey left unattended
- Microwaved or partly thawed prey
- Feeding more often than the interval for its weight
Frequently asked questions
How long can a hognose snake go without eating?
Healthy adults can go several weeks without food, and many eat little or nothing through winter while losing very little weight. Hatchlings have small reserves and should not fast for long. Weigh your snake during any fast; if it loses more than about 10% of its body weight, see a reptile vet.
Why is my hognose not eating?
Common reasons are a recent move, an upcoming shed, a basking spot that is too cool, too little substrate to hide in, and the winter slowdown. Check temperatures with a digital thermometer and make sure your snake can burrow. For hatchlings, warm the pinky well and try scenting it. See a vet if it is losing weight.
Do hognose snakes need to eat toads?
No. Wild hognoses eat mostly amphibians, but pet hognoses thrive on frozen-thawed mice. Adding some variety, such as chicks or a commercial reptile sausage diet, can help prevent obesity. Never feed wild-caught toads or frogs, which can carry parasites and toxins.
Sources
- Tree of Life Exotic Pet Medical Center — Western Hognose Snake Care
- ReptiFiles — What Do Hognose Snakes Eat?
- Reptiles Magazine — Western Hognose Snake Care Sheet
- Wikipedia — Western hognose snake
- LafeberVet — Nutritional Support in Reptiles
- RodentPro — Guide to Frozen Feeder Mouse Sizes
Where sources disagree we show the range they share. See our sources and methodology for how every number is checked.