Hognose snake gone wild

[Philminator]

So I have a 3 year old female hognose snake and whenever I slide my tub out she bolts towards me wondering if I will feed her I guess. I pick her up and she has never bit. Yesterday I noticed a snake I got from someone had mites so I treated everyone for mites and my hognose has no mites but the point is when I reached in to take her she started biting herself really hard then would let go. I was sorta caught off by this and was a bit paranoid lol since I don't know if im allergic to their venom and she's a fair size for a hognose so I used my snake hook but she tried to swallow it. So um what gives here? PS 8 years ago I had a tiny hognose snake baby that everytime I put him on my bed he'd try to eat and chew on my pillow!! what is it with hognose snakes lol

[kibakiba]

I think she was biting herself as a self defense. I know they start playing dead, biting and pooping themselves. But, maybe I'm wrong... I've never owned one

[Philminator]

ya not sure it was pretty crazy lol I've only ever seen 2 snakes in my life do something like that and both times its been a hognose snake!

[RedSidedSPR]

They're crazy little things!

...but not that crazy...

[katach]

This is what I could find a quick glance
Hognose - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I thought is was interesting that a diet of only rodent can cause liver problems.

[RedSidedSPR]

Theyre toad lovers, that's all the eat in the wild... Although, most people feed only pinkies...

[Philminator]

hmmm that's weird, man she was swallowing the snake hook really fast too had that been my finger it would of been down there pretty good lol and I would of had venom, I hear if you're sensitive to it you can be hospitalized over it

[ConcinusMan]

hmmm that's weird, man she was swallowing the snake hook really fast too had that been my finger it would of been down there pretty good lol and I would of had venom, I hear if you're sensitive to it you can be hospitalized over it

Hognose venom is never released as a defense. It's only released as a feeding response and they have to do a lot of chewing and piercing of the skin to get it to work. That is why hognose envenomation in humans is extremely rare. You would have to have them think you are food, and let them chew until the skin is broken. The venom comes from glands way in the back of the mouth. It's doubtful you have been affected.

And yes, biting themselves is often done during their "play dead" routine.

From the web: "Hognose snakes are what is called "rear fanged" and they do possess a type of venom, really just a mildly toxic saliva. This toxic secretion is normally harmless to humans, however a few isolated instances of allergic reaction have been recorded. No lasting effects have been ovserved in any case."

[Stefan-A]

do possess a type of venom, really just a mildly toxic saliva.

It's not saliva.

[RedSidedSPR]

Well, I've never worried about it, cause supposedly they don't bite....