Hognose Snake Size Comparison: Just How Big Do They Get?

Despite being from totally different genera and elements of the world, most hognose snakes are comparable in dimension. To get an concept of the totally different sizes of hognoses and the way they measure as much as folks, different animals, and customary family objects, proceed studying this hognose snake dimension comparability under.

What Is a Hognose Snake?

Hognose snakes are a sort of snake, as you might need guessed. Though all of them share the title, not all hognoses are carefully associated. There are three essential genus teams. They are the Heterodon, Leioheterodon, and Lystrophis.

Of these, the Heterodon genus is essentially the most acquainted to Americans. This genus lives in varied elements of the United States and Mexico. Leioheterodon lives in Madagascar, and Lystrophis lives in South America.

So why are all of those snakes clumped into the identical group in the event that they’re from totally different genera? The reply is that though they’re vastly totally different, they’ve a number of traits in frequent.

The essential attribute is the one that offers the species its distinct title. All of those snakes have upturned noses which are harking back to hog snouts. They are referred to as a rostral scale. These noses didn’t come about as a result of they’re an analogous species.

Instead, it took place due to convergent evolution. This is the time period used when two utterly totally different animals begin to present comparable traits. These traits typically come about due to comparable habitats or behavioral requirements.

In the case of hognose snakes, all of them have an upturned nostril scale to permit them to dig into the sand. They dig into sand to cover, or to get to eggs of snakes and lizards that they then eat.

The different similarity is that they’re quite timid snakes. Other than that, and the traits that each one snake species share, there should not a whole lot of similarities between them. Even their lengths and weights may be pretty totally different.

The Different Hognose Snake Species

There are a number of totally different hognose snake species. This article covers the commonest ones all through the world. They are damaged up into their respective genera, to permit for higher comparisons.

Heterodon Snakes

Heterodons are those you might need come throughout earlier than. They make good pets, and they’re frequent all through the US within the wild. In addition to their upturned noses and timid personalities, these snakes have one other shared attribute.

If they aren’t capable of run away from a predator or scare them off, they’ll play lifeless. This entails them rolling onto their again and rising very nonetheless.

Plains Hognose Snake

The plains hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus) can be sometimes called the western hognose snake. They reside all through almost all the central areas of Canada, Mexico, and the US.

These hognoses are a reasonably solitary species and make nice pets. The western hognose is commonly gentle brown with darkish brown spots, however there are over 60 morphs for a variety of patterns and colours.

Plains Hognose Size and Length

The plains hognose snake is taken into account to be a medium-sized snake. They vary from 15 to 25 inches lengthy. However, the longest on report was 39.6 inches, in response to scientists Conant and Collins in 1998.

The plains hognose tends to be pretty gentle. The females are normally double the dimensions of a male or extra, starting from 200 to 500 grams. On the opposite hand, the males solely ever attain 60 to 130 grams. In kilos, this places them someplace between 0.13 and 1.1 kilos.

Eastern Hognose Snake

The jap hognose snake (Heterodon platirhinos) lives on the jap facet of the US, as much as the southernmost elements of Canada right down to Florida, and elements of Texas. They are normally a yellow-tan colour with reddish-brown stripes that flip into extra bands the nearer to the tail you go.

Eastern Hognose Size

Like the plains hognose, the jap hognose is made up of bigger females and smaller males. They are likely to have a mean size of 28 inches. However, the longest one on report is 46 inches. Eastern hognose snakes are typically quite small. They keep beneath a pound in weight, although generally females can handle to weigh simply over a pound.

Gloyd’s Hognose Snake

Gloyd’s hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus gloydi) is technically a subspecies of the plains hognose snake, although there are some debates on turning it into its personal species. It additionally goes by the title dusty hognose snake. They occupy all the central areas of North America as nicely, from Canada all the way in which right down to Mexico. They look similar to the plains hognose snake as nicely.

Gloyd’s Hognose Size

Since Gloyd’s hognose snakes are a subspecies of plains hognose snakes, it stands to motive that they’re comparable in dimension. Gloyd’s hognose snakes are typically slightly on the smaller facet, measuring between 15 and 20 inches in size. They additionally are likely to have an analogous weight. This subspecies normally weigh beneath a pound, even for the heaviest of the bunch.

Southern Hognose Snake

A southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus) may be present in among the similar locations because the jap hognose snake however in a way more restricted space. They have a tendency to increase up north to Tennessee, south to the decrease edges of Florida, and west so far as Mississippi. They are anyplace from vivid pink to a tannish-brown with black spots all down their physique.

Southern Hognose Size

A southern hognose tends to be fairly small, much like all its shut family members. They vary between 13 and 22 inches, although the most important was a feminine that measured 24 inches lengthy. Southern hognoses have a reasonably slender vary for his or her weight. They may be as gentle as 0.1 kilos to 0.26 kilos.

Mexican Hognose Snake

Mexican hognose snakes (Heterodon kennelyi) are present in southern Texas right down to central Mexico. It’s a light-colored or tan snake with darkish black or brown spots and stripes throughout the top over the eyes that mimic eyebrows.

Mexican Hognose Size

Mexican hognose snakes are about the identical dimension as the remainder of the Heterodon group. They are normally 20-something inches in size, although the longest to this point was discovered to be 30 inches. There are nonetheless some arguments on whether or not it’s a subspecies of the western hognose snake or its personal species, so the details about it’s nonetheless missing.

Like the western hognose snake, it’s obtained a variety of weight. However, it normally isn’t rather more than a pound. You will probably discover them a lot nearer to 0.1 or 0.2 kilos.

Heterodon Size Comparison and Chart

Since all Heterodons are comparable in dimension and weight, it’s straightforward sufficient to check them. To maintain it comparatively easy, we are going to use 17 inches and half a pound because the averages when making comparisons.

Heterodon vs Rattlesnake Size Comparison

There are a whole lot of totally different species of rattlesnakes within the United States. For this comparability, we are going to use the timber rattlesnake, because it is among the commonest rattlesnakes within the US.

The timber rattlesnake has a mean size someplace between 30 and 60 inches. At the center of the vary, 45 inches, a timber rattlesnake will develop to be 2.67 instances longer than a hognose. Some timber rattlesnakes have been reported to be 84 inches lengthy, which may make them almost 5 instances longer.

Despite their size, timber rattlesnakes aren’t all that heavy. They are usually between 1.1 to three.3 kilos. This signifies that the heaviest hognose and the lightest timber rattlesnake are literally near the identical weight. However, on common, hognoses are 4.4 instances lighter.

Heterodon vs Golden Retriever Length Comparison

The common golden retriever measures someplace between 37 and 42 inches. While that is pretty suitable with some snakes, it’s over two instances the size of the typical hognose.

Heterodon vs a Yoga Mat Length Comparison

An ordinary yoga mat you’d purchase at home measures 72 inches in size and 24 inches vast. This means your yoga mat can be longer than slightly over 4 average-sized hognose snakes. Even the width of the yoga mat is 1.4 instances longer than the small little snakes.

Heterodon vs Adult Human Length Comparison

64 inches (5 ft and 4 inches) is taken into account the typical human top. It would take practically 4 hognoses stretched out to measure as much as one person.

Heterodon Hognose Snake Size Comparison

Leioheterodon Snakes

Next, there are the hognose snakes native to Madagascar. These snakes fall into the the Leioheterodon genus. In addition to being referred to as hognose snakes, they’re also referred to as Malagasy menarana snakes and Malagasy brown snakes. Two of the species are slightly bit greater than their North American counterparts, however one species stands out from the remaining.

Specked Hognose Snake

Speckled hognose snakes (Leioheterodon geayi) are native to southwestern Madagascar. As the title suggests, they’re normally speckled. They are a light-weight tan colour with speckles of darker brown-reddish spots alongside their physique.

Speckled Hognose Size

Speckled hognose snakes are typically round 43 inches in size. For their size, they’re quite gentle, weighing about 0.75 kilos.

Malagasy Giant Hognose Snake

Then there’s the Malagasy large hognose snake (Leioheterodon madagascariensis). They are a big species present in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. They are typically darker black or brown on the highest, however nonetheless have a lighter stomach.

Malagasy Giant Hognose Size

The Malagasy large hognose snake simply reaches six ft. You can anticipate one among these snakes to be 4 kilos when absolutely grown.

Blonde Hognose Snake

The third hognose snake present in Madagascar is the blonde hognose snake (Leioheterodon modestus). They are lighter in colour, both a tan or tannish-green colour with a darker stripe working alongside their sides generally.

Blonde Hognose Size

Blonde hognoses are the smallest of the Madagascar selection, measuring as much as 40 inches. They additionally weigh lower than 0.75 kilos.

Leioheterodon Size Comparison and Chart

For these hognoses, 41 inches and 0.73 inches would be the common. The Malagasian hognose snake will likely be talked about individually.

Leioheterodon vs Madagascar Tree Boa Size Comparison

The Madagascar tree boa measures anyplace between 48 to 84 inches. This would make the center quantity 66.

For the enormous hognose, the tree boa can be six inches shorter on common. However, for the opposite hognoses, the tree boa is one-and-a-half instances longer.

For weight, the Madagascar boa is between 3.3 to eight.8 kilos, On the excessive finish, a tree boa may be double the burden of the enormous hognose. Meanwhile, even on the low finish, the opposite hognose snakes are three to 4 instances lighter.

Leioheterodon vs Golden Retriever Size Comparison

At 39.5 inches from snout to tail, a golden retriever runs just a bit smaller than the typical hognose. It’s additionally roughly half the size of a large hognose.

Leioheterodon vs a Yoga Mat Size Comparison

The large hognose is the right size for a yoga mat, as they’re each 72 inches on common. On the opposite hand, the opposite two hognose snakes in Madagascar are 1.75 instances smaller.

Leioheterodon vs Adult Human Size Comparison

A human can be 1.5 instances longer than the 2 normal hognoses in Madagascar. However, a large hognose snake can be longer than the typical person by eight inches.

Leioheterodon Hognose Snake Size Comparison

Lystrophis Snakes

Lystriohis hognose snakes are discovered generally in South America. Sometimes, they’re in their very own genus, however some nonetheless put them beneath the Xenodon genus as an alternative. These are all thought-about to be tricolored snakes with the hog nostril, mimicking coral or milk snakes. There are a complete of 5 snakes within the genus, however solely two are broadly recognized.

South American Hognose Snake

First, there’s the South American hognose snake (Lystrophis dorbignyi). It is present in international locations like Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. It is normally black, and and brown with patterns much like the jap hognose snake. However, they could have pink coloring on their underside on the very tip of their tail.

South American Hognose Size

The South American hognose snake has a size someplace between 20 and 30 inches on common. Most of those snakes weigh round 0.75 kilos however could also be as much as a pound.

Tricolor Hognose Snake

A tricolor hognose snake (Lystrophis pulcher) appears to be like lots like a coral snake, with pink, black, and white coloring. They are discovered within the southernmost international locations of South America.

Tricolor American Hognose Size

You can anticipate tricolor hognoses to be between 18 and 24 inches, relying on the gender. Usually, these snakes are not more than half a pound, if that.

Lystrophis Size Comparison and Chart

For these comparisons, the averages of the hognoses in South America will likely be 20 inches and 0.75 kilos.

Lystrophis vs South American Size Comparison

The South American coral snake measures between 24 and 35 inches on common. However, the most important on report was 57 inches. They normally weigh a couple of pound. This signifies that at a fast look, a coral snake and a hognose snake in South America could look very comparable in dimension and colour.

However, coral snakes can develop slightly bit greater than a hognose at their most lengths.

Lystrophis vs Golden Retriever Size Comparison

With the typical golden retriever measuring 39.5 inches, they’re a bit bigger than even the utmost size of a hognose in South America. A golden is roughly twice the size of a feminine hognose snake and could also be greater than twice so long as a male hognose.

Lystrophis vs a Yoga Mat Size Comparison

With a mat measuring a minimum of 72 inches, they’re 3.6 instances so long as a South American hognose snake species.

Lystrophis vs Adult Human Size Comparison

South American hognose snakes measure up slightly bit higher to a human than a yoga mat, as they’re solely 3.2 instances smaller.

Lystrophis Hognose Snake Size Comparison

All Genera Hognose Snake Size Comparison

Largest Hognose Snake Ever Found

There have been no official information for the most important hognose snake ever discovered. However, One species of hognose is clearly the winner. The Malagasy large hognose is a part of the Leioheterdon genus.

These snakes are present in Madagascar. Depending on their circumstances, they will develop to lengths between 4 and 6 ft lengthy.

Places You’re Most Likely to Encounter a Hognose Snake

You’re more likely to encounter hognose snakes in lots of international locations of South America, Madagascar, and all through a lot of North America. For these residing in North America, you will discover hognose snakes from Montana right down to New Mexico to the jap facet of the US. You can discover them in most of Mexico. In Canada, they reside from Alberta to the east, all the way in which into Quebec.