Eastern hognose snake

The eastern hog-nosed snake (Heterodon platirhinos), is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The venom is specifically adapted to amphibian prey and is harmless to humans. However, some people may have an allergic reaction, and experience local swelling and other symptoms. The species is endemic to North America. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid. This species prefers habitats with sandy soils and a combination of grass fields and forest edges. They come in many different colorations and have the identifiable upturned "snout". They can be found in captivity but are a relatively difficult species to keep due to a specialized diet of toads. As with other Heterodon species, they have a distinctive threat reaction of first bluffing by striking with a closed mouth and then pretending to die if this fails to deter the threat.