Breed : Western Hognose Snake
Habitat : Sandy and gravelly areas across North America, from the Canadian border down to Northern Mexico
Age : Unknown, but thought to be of adult age (maybe between 5 and 7 years)
Likes : Exploring; Eating; Playing dead
Dislikes : Skunks; Dogs
Male – Males are smaller than females and an adult will only reach about 15 inches
This snake was discovered on Kinver Edge, a local beauty spot, whilst walking Beanz. As he was literally “in the middle of nowhere” he is thought to be a discarded pet, rather than an escapee. Hognose snakes get their name from their upturned nose and are adept at burrowing. They are fascinating and one of my favourite species (I have had 3 over the years) – they have a series of defense mechanisms, which are all bluff, they will hiss loudly and make strike attempts. If this doesn’t work then they will spread their neck out, cobra like, as they hiss and strike. Their final bluff is to play dead – if all else fails and they continue to feel threatened, then they flip onto their back and emit a foul stench, which makes them appear dead. When the danger has gone then they flip back over and continue on their way. Sometimes in times of extreme danger they will resort to this bluff immediately.