Interaction With Humans
Hog-nosed snakes are considered to be "rear-fanged" Colubrids, and do not pose any danger to humans. They will generally only bite as a feeding response, rarely in defense. The defensive bite response is usually due to the temporary poor eyesight experienced while shedding. Because the snake cannot see very well while shedding, it becomes skittish and more prone to bite in defense. A defensive bite may also occur in gravid (egg carrying) females. The venom they excrete is considered toxic to prey (frogs and toads) but not dangerous to humans. The results in being bitten by any hognose snake is a bit of swelling or itchiness around and/or on the bite area, but no major symptoms. There has been some debate whether or not hognose snakes are venomous. Their venom has some toxicity to smaller prey items, such as toads, frogs, and small rodents. Toads inflate air pouches on, along, and on the sides of the torso area to make swallowing difficult, but the hognose snakes' enlarged teeth, located at the rear of the upper jaw, can penetrate the toads' lungs and deflate them. However, whole toads with intact lungs are commonly regurgitated by recently captured wild hognoses.
Read more about this topic: Bluffers
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