hai this page will include the warnings of taking care of a hognose since obviously they need a lot of attention just like any other pets! what will be also used if there is anything of concern (commonly) found in a hognose like genetic defects or signs of sickness and if they are dangerous to the snake or not
"bug eyes"
bug eyes within a hognose snake is a genetic defect, and this is caused by inbreeding or poor breeding practices
this is commonly seen in albino hognoses or their varitions (like the axanthic morph)
this is different from when their eyes become blue or cloudly. just like any other snakes, this is referred to as "going into blue", and this is when they are about to shed.
bug eyes have been proven that if you breed them with another snake that is not related, then they will not have the bug eyes!
picky eaters
this is something that is common in hatchlings. despite their wide varity of what they eat, hatchlings will not eat the same as their siblings.
this can usually be solved after the first few weeks of feeding them, this is often nothing to worry about unless you cannot afford what they eat. scenting a small rodent can work (scenting a food item means using the scent of their other prey by rubbing the rodent all over it)
kinks
if you are a breeder/future breeder and see that a snake is moving weirdly or is unable to get out of the egg, then they are most likely suffereing from a kink. there are cases where some snakes are hatched with a small kink, but as they grow, it will smooth out. kinks are a concern depending how bad it is, but usually they will be able to survive as long as they are able to pass through food.
kinks can happen whenever something goes wrong during incubation. it can be caused whenever the mother or father is becoming too old (commonly the mother) to produce healthy babies. if you see this happening again the following year, then it is most likely time to retire that mother from breeding. if you are unable to care for her, then it will be best to rehome her to a reliable owner! another way to avoid kinks in future babies, then do not breed the hatchling that has a kink in, whether it will survive or not. it won't encourage the dame defect in future snakes.
being lazy
do you have a hognose/seen someone feed one? have you noticed that some will wrap around their food, while others won't? hognoses, and other snakes, will constrict their prey. snakes do not have a powerful bite, so most of them are ambush predators/sit and wait predators (this means that they will literally sit around and wait for their prey to come around). in captivity, prey do not come around (unless you feed them live), but rather most owners will give them food by drop feeding or by tongs. using this way has a possibility of making them get lazy, which they will no longer wrap around their prey and just start eating.
"if this happens, how can i prevent this/how can i fix this?"
it's very simple! if your snake eats by tongs, then make sure they have a firm grip on the prey before shaking it around just a little. this makes them think that their food is alive and it will need to "kill" it, so they begin to wrap around it and constrict/flex their muscles.
"why is having a lazy hognose/snake a bad thing?"
hognoses won't be exercising if they are not flexing their muscles. if you see that your hognose is gaining weight despite the fact you are feeding it regularly and the perfect amount, and they are showing those exact traits, then try out how to fix it! if you still have worries, talk with an actual vet to discuss ways as i am not a professional.
feeding them frozen thaw can encourage this lazy behavior
feeding live prey/rat bites
getting live prey is very easy and accessable to many people, therefore they purchase it. there is a concern about this, the prey is in fact alive and will try to fight back. this can injury your snake, the wound could get infected, and in extreme cases, the hognose can pass because of it. it is not an often occurance, but it is still something to keep in mind.
there are times when a hognose just decides to not wanting to eat, which is often fine if they ever decide to skip a meal, it will not harm a snake (espically if it is a male snake that had just come out of brumation), but this does mean that you are stuck with a rat/mouse until it is time to feed them again, so have fun!
health warnings
common health problems that can be found within hognoses can be shedding. not having a rough surface to rub against, hognoses (or any other snakes) will have trouble shedding. they are also reported commonly to have respiratory issues as well as mite infestations. mite shave always been a concern within snakes. please keep a careful eye on your hognose/snake to make sure they are healthy! as always, i am not a professional, so contact your vet with any furuther concerns.
this can happen if there is not a clean enclosure, or if the humidity inside of the enclosure is not right.
purely food motivated
many hognoses will recignoize that you walking around outside their bin, or even opening it, will mean that you have food for them! because of this, they will come out of their hide and open their mouth, or even striking at you, because they think you have food. in order to prevent/stop this, then you will have to handle them about a few times a week and for a few weeks. once you see that they no longer show this behavior/you are sure they won't, then you can stpo handlong them so much. of course, if you are worried they will go back to that habit, then continue to handle them a lot.