Eastern Hognose Snake

The Eastern Hognose Snake is a snake known by many names; Puff Adder, Spreading Adder, Blowing Adder, Hissing Adder, Flathead, and Spreadhead...just to name a few! Wild specimens of this species exhale all the air in their lungs (hence the hissing sound), then spread their ribs in order to make themselves look larger. If the noise and the increased size fail to impress, they roll over on their backs and play dead! They play dead so well they let their tongue hang out! And while they are at it, they void their bowels. That usually sends any predator packing! The Hogie is nature's Drama Queen!

In this overhead view you can see this Hognose Snake has spread his ribs to make himself look bigger than it actually is. Note the tightly coiled tail, which is very characteristic of this species.

1 / 6

In this overhead view you can see this Hognose Snake has spread his ribs to make himself look bigger than it actually is. Note the tightly coiled tail, which is very characteristic of this species.

Snake Hognose Snake Eastern Hognose Snake Cloudy Little River Oklahoma Heterodon platirhinos Puff Adder Blowing Adder Flathead Spreadhead Spreading Adder Hissing Adder Copperline James Taylor Reptile Herp Adder Bastard Rattlesnake Black Adder Black Blowing Viper Black Hognosed Snake Black Viper Snake Blauser Blower Blowing Snake Blowing Viper Blow Snake Buckwheatnose Snake Calico Snake Checkered Adder Checquered Adder Chunk Head Common Hognosed Snake Common Spreading Adder Deaf Adder Flatheaded Adder Haynose Snake Hissing Snake Hognosed Adder Hognosed Rattler Hognosed Viper Hissing Viper Mountain Moccasin North American Adder North American Hognosed Snake Pilot Poison Viper Puffing Adder Red Snake Rock Adder Rossel Bastard Sand Adder Sand Viper Spotted Spreading Adder Spread Nelly Spreadhead Moccasin Spreadhead Snake Spreadhead Viper Flathead Adder Spreading Viper March Hood Pushmataha County Drama Queen Nope Rope Danger Noodle

Tracey Harmon Photography

Eastern Hognose Snake