Dipsadidae
Western Hog-nosed Snake
Heterodon nasicus
A closer look
A dramatic bluffer that hisses, spreads its neck, and may feign death. It is most often associated with prairie and sandy plains and typically feeds on toads.
- Habitat
- Prairie & sandy plains
- On the menu
- Toads
- Behavior
- A mostly secretive ground hunter that spends much of its time under cover.
Not considered venomous to people. Observe without handling, and never corner or relocate a wild snake.
Safety & bite guidance ↗Where it is listed
A sense of place.
Checklist presence only. A highlighted state is not a local range boundary. Territory tiles are schematic.
State & territory checklist
About continuous range data
A verified habitat-model layer is not available for this species in this release. Earlier broad sketches connected jurisdiction locations; they did not show measured occurrence or USGS habitat predictions.
Use USGS distribution resources ↗ for available modeled habitat data.
Names, sources & image evidence
Also known as: Western Hognose Snake
Taxonomy: provisional. Territory checklist entries may be provisional. Field descriptions include broad group-level natural-history summaries.
Research Grade iNaturalist observation 20374091 has exact taxon Heterodon nasicus
Conservation & local rules
Collection, possession, relocation, and protection rules vary by state and territory. Check the relevant wildlife agency before taking action. Leave wild snakes where they are.