Nature Note: the Eastern Hognose Snake
By Joe Settles
What eats toads, plays “possum,” comes in a variety of colors, hisses, and acts
like a cobra? Your boss you say? Close but no cigar!
It’s the eastern hognose snake, which is known in scientific circles as
Heterodon platirhinos. This may be the coolest snake in Kentucky. It can be
found in a variety of color patterns from jet black to mainly orange or yellow.
It has many other wonderful names including Puff Adder, Spreading Viper, and the
Blowing Viper. It gets these wonderful names because of its defense displays.
This snake when threatened puts on a show that rivals any Julia Roberts
performance.
The first thing the hognose will do is flatten its neck and spread its skin to
look like a cobra. This is scary enough for most people, but then it begins to
hiss. Most people’s reaction to this display usually falls into two categories:
1) SCREEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAM and RUUUUUN or
2) Grab a hoe and WHOP! Cut the snake in half.
I prefer folks take the first option and run, but I often get presented a bag
full of snake pieces with someone saying “Look at this cobra I killed!!” If this
person knew they were dealing with a hognose, they could have witnessed one of
the most interesting displays in nature.
Once the snake realizes it is not going to scare you off with its defense
display it will begin to play dead. If that doesn’t work, the snake will writhe
on the ground while going to the bathroom all over itself (WHEW!). It will also
regurgitate any toads it has recently devoured, and then go completely limp.
The snake is now hoping that whatever has threatened it will no longer be
interested in eating it (it can put a damper on your appetite). When it feels
the threat is gone, it will then flip back over.
This snake has been documented statewide, and it occurs in a variety of
habitats. If you run across a hognose snake in the future, remember you could
witness something really cool or take the fun out of life by clubbing the snake
to death. I know which option I will choose!
Joe Settles is a biologist with Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives