plains hognose snake
(Heterodon nasicus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5 - Secure S3 - Vulnerable |
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| Minnesota | Special Concern Species in Greatest Conservation Need |
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Description |
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The underside of the belly and tail is shiny black. |
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Size |
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15″ to 39″ |
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Similar Species |
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| Eastern hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus) underside of the tail is light, regardless of the color of the belly. | ||
Habitat |
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Open, sandy or gravelly areas in dry prairies, savannas, dunes, and river floodplains |
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Biology |
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Behavior |
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When threatened it will flatten its head and hiss, like a cobra, or roll onto its back and play dead. |
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Lifespan |
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9 to 19 years |
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Life Cycle |
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Food |
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Frogs, toads, rodents, bird eggs, lizards, reptile eggs, other snakes, and carrion. |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 1/21/2023 | ||||
Occurrence |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Reptilia (reptiles) | ||
| Superorder | Lepidosauria | ||
| Order | Squamata (snakes and lizards) | ||
| Suborder | Serpentes (snakes) | ||
| Infraorder | Alethinophidia | ||
| Superfamily | Colubroidea | ||
Family |
Colubridae (colubrid snakes) | ||
Subfamily |
Dipsadidae | ||
Genus |
Heterodon (hog-nosed snakes) | ||
The genus Heterodon was originally placed in the family Colubridae then moved to the family Xenodontidae. In late 2009 it was placed in the family Dipsadidae. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Common Names |
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plains hognose snake |
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Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this reptile. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
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Lane Keller |
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Back in June 2nd, 2021 I was out on a little drive in the refuge to calm my nerves from a hard day from work. Right at the end of the Prairie’s Edge Wildlife drive I spotted a big shape scurrying away from me in the grass. I chased the snake and able to grab a hold of it. I wasn’t until I looked it over that I realized uncommon reptile people would ever see in that area, the Plains Hognose Snake. |
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Jeff LeClere |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this reptile. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Other Videos |
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| Herpers TV Hognose Heaven HerpersTV |
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About
Published on Aug 28, 2014 One of the most unquestionably popular snakes in herpetoculture is the hognose snake. More specifically, the Plains (formerly western) hognose snake. The morphs that are available are some of the most striking and beautiful colors and patterns in any snake morph, and in this month's episode, we visit one of the top hognose breeders in the world, Justin Mitcham from Extreme Hogs, as he shows us some morphs that have never been seen by the public before! |
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| Snake Surgery Minnesota DNR |
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About
Published on Jul 30, 2013 Watch as a plains hognose snake is implanted with a radio transmitter. It's part of a study the Minnesota DNR is conducting on the effects of patch-burn grazing on prairie species. |
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| HerpersTV Tracking the Wild Hognose HerpersTV |
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About
Published on Feb 26, 2015 In this episode of HerpersTV, Dan Krull ventures out on the prairies of Minnesota to radio track wild plains hognose snakes with researchers from the Minnesota DNR. We get an inside look into how these amazing snakes survive, breed, and flourish on the northern plains. |
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| Hognose Snake (Hisses and then plays dead) Eddie Carter |
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About
Uploaded on Oct 19, 2011 (Feel free to share or post this video.) This is for my nephew Blake Carter who is currently keeping a baby hognose snake. These are one of the neatest snakes. They mimic a cobra spreading out their necks. If you do not go away, they will eventually play dead. They will roll over on their back and stick out their tongue. |
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| Western Hognose Snake - Defense Jonathan Scupin |
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About
Uploaded on Mar 11, 2008 Eastern Colorado |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this reptile. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Lane Keller 6/2/2021 |
Location: Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge in Sherburne County, MN Back in June 2nd, 2021 I was out on a little drive in the refuge to calm my nerves from a hard day from work. Right at the end of the Prairie’s Edge Wildlife drive I spotted a big shape scurrying away from me in the grass. I chased the snake and able to grab a hold of it. I wasn’t until I looked it over that I realized uncommon reptile people would ever see in that area, the Plains Hognose Snake. |
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| Jeff LeClere 5/6/2014 |
Location: Chippewa County |
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| Jeff LeClere 2002 |
Location: Anoka County |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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