bluffer n : a person who tries to bluff other people [syn: four-flusher]

English

Noun

1. one who bluffs

Adjective

bluffer

1. comparative of bluff

French

Verb

bluffer

1. To bluff

Conjugation

Common names: western hog-nosed snake, plains hognose snake, more.

Heterodon nasicus is a harmless colubrid species found in North America and northern Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the typical form described here. plains hognose snake.

Conservation status

This species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001). Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend is stable. Year assessed: 2007.

However, it is listed as endangered in the state of Iowa, and threatened in Illinois and South Dakota. It is more common in the southern end of its range, where holds no particular conservation status.

Behavior

The Western Hognose Snake is primarily diurnal, and makes use of a variety of habitats, including shortgrass prairies, grasslands, and rocky, semi-arid regions. They are typically a docile snake, that may hiss and make mock strikes if harassed, and even play dead if stressed enough (but they will never bite in self-defense). They feed on amphibians, lizards, and rodents. They breed in the spring, laying 4 to 23 eggs in the mid summer, which take approximately 60 days to hatch.

Reproduction

Oviparous, with females laying 4-23 elongate, thin-shelled eggs in June-August. Hatchlings are 15-19 cm in length and reach sexual maturity after two years.

Captivity

The Western Hognose is the hognose snake species which is most commonly kept in captivity. It is a small, hardy species with a docile nature that tends to make it an attractive choice for a pet. They readily consume commercially available rodents, and do not require a large amount of space or specialized care. They are often captive bred, and even color variations are being propagated, including high red, high orange, and albino variants.

Subspecies

Taxonomy

Some authors elevate H. n. kennerlyi, also known as the Mexican hog-nosed snake, to species level. Those same authors have subsumed H. n. gloydi into H. nasicus so that there are only 2 species (H. nasicus and H. kennerlyi) and no subspecies.

References

External links

• Heterodon nasicus at Herps of Texas. Accessed 14 September 2007.
• Heterodon nasicus at Illinois Natural History Survey. Accessed 14 September 2007.
• Heterodon nasicus at Animal Diversity Web. Accessed 14 September 2007.
• Heterodon nasicus at Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas: . Accessed 14 September 2007.
• General care guide for H. n. nasicus, at Animal Allsorts. Accessed 14 September 2007.
• Western Hognose Snake at Herpnet.net. Accessed 14 September 2007.