Eastern hog-nosed snake (Heterodon platirhinos)
The eastern hog-nosed snake is a snake in the family Colubridae with a mild venom for its prey, not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 3,076 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 33 states, most of all North Carolina (652), Texas (456) and Oklahoma (201). Its observation records peak in May.
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 as a result experience local swelling and other symptoms.
From Wikipedia: Eastern hognose snake, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the eastern hog-nosed snake poisonous or venomous?
Mildly venomous but not dangerous: the eastern hog-nosed snake has enlarged rear teeth and a mild venom for its prey, and a bite causes at most local swelling, which is why many sources simply call it harmless. It is not a pit viper or coral snake, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. Clean any bite like a small wound.
Often mistaken for
The eastern hog-nosed snake is not dangerous to people, but people often take it for copperheads (both are recorded in 27 of its 33 states) and rattlesnakes (both are recorded in 31 of its 33 states).
Which states have the eastern hog-nosed snake?
Records are spread over 33 states; the top three, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma, hold 43% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 652 | 3.2% | 13th of 39 |
| 2 | Texas | 456 | 1.1% | 25th of 86 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 201 | 1.5% | 23rd of 50 |
| 4 | Virginia | 198 | 1.8% | 15th of 30 |
| 5 | Michigan | 165 | 3.2% | 11th of 17 |
| 6 | Kansas | 130 | 0.9% | 30th of 44 |
| 7 | Georgia | 109 | 1.8% | 13th of 44 |
| 8 | Florida | 106 | 0.5% | 28th of 49 |
| 9 | Maryland | 102 | 2.8% | 11th of 20 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 99 | 1.2% | 16th of 20 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 89 | 2.4% | 18th of 40 |
| 12 | Indiana | 88 | 4.0% | 9th of 27 |
| 13 | Louisiana | 86 | 1.7% | 16th of 41 |
| 14 | Alabama | 84 | 1.5% | 24th of 44 |
| 15 | Ohio | 64 | 1.0% | 15th of 25 |
| 16 | Illinois | 60 | 2.2% | 13th of 33 |
| 17 | Connecticut | 48 | 4.1% | 9th of 14 |
| 18 | West Virginia | 39 | 2.4% | 14th of 18 |
| 19 | Mississippi | 34 | 1.8% | 17th of 38 |
| 20 | New Jersey | 34 | 3.0% | 10th of 18 |
| 21 | Tennessee | 26 | 1.0% | 20th of 32 |
| 22 | Minnesota | 25 | 2.7% | 6th of 15 |
| 23 | New York | 25 | 0.4% | 14th of 17 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 25 | 2.5% | 9th of 16 |
| 25 | Arkansas | 24 | 0.5% | 22nd of 36 |
| 26 | Nebraska | 22 | 0.9% | 17th of 31 |
| 27 | Iowa | 19 | 1.8% | 14th of 22 |
| 28 | Missouri | 16 | 0.8% | 26th of 36 |
| 29 | Delaware | 13 | 1.9% | 9th of 14 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | 12 | 0.6% | 11th of 13 |
| 31 | Kentucky | 10 | 0.8% | 18th of 24 |
| 32 | South Dakota | 10 | 0.3% | 15th of 16 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | 4 | 2.0% | 5th of 10 |
When is the eastern hog-nosed snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the eastern hog-nosed snake run mostly March through October, peaking in May with 23% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 2% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (Texas and Virginia) and latest in May (Michigan). Each of these states peaks in a different month: April in Texas, May in Virginia and June in Michigan.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | March through November | April | 129 |
| Michigan | May through August | June | 38 |
| Virginia | March through September | May | 30 |
Where the eastern hog-nosed snake is recorded in each state
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 652 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in North Carolina come from Scotland County, Moore County and Duplin County. Next come Wake County (41) and Richmond County (37).
Texas
Texas holds 456 licensed records, the 25th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through November, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Brazos County, Travis County and Harris County. Next come Hutchinson County (20) and Bowie County (14).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 201 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from Cleveland County, Pottawatomie County and Comanche County. Next come LeFlore County (14) and Seminole County (10).
Virginia
Virginia holds 198 licensed records, the 15th most recorded of 30 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly March through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Accomack County and James City County. Next come Caroline County (7) and Amelia County (7).
Michigan
Michigan holds 165 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 17 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Michigan run mostly May through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Huron County, Isabella County and Wayne County. Next come Cheboygan County (8) and Berrien County (5).
Kansas
Kansas holds 130 licensed records, the 30th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Kansas come from Meade County, Barber County and Ellis County. Next come Riley County (8) and Seward County (8).
Georgia
Georgia holds 109 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Georgia come from Charlton County, Chatham County and Baker County. Next come Washington County (4) and Thomas County (3).
Florida
Florida holds 106 licensed records, the 28th most recorded of 49 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Florida come from Marion County, Alachua County and Polk County. Next come Lake County (6) and Miami-Dade County (6).
Maryland
Maryland holds 102 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 20 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Maryland come from Prince George's County, Montgomery County and Charles County. Next come Frederick County (5) and Worcester County (5).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 99 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 20 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Pennsylvania come from Indiana County, Wyoming County and Pike County. Next come Erie County (9) and Huntingdon County (9).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 89 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 40 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Carolina come from Charleston County, Berkeley County and Jasper County. Next come Lexington County (7) and Aiken County (5).
Indiana
Indiana holds 88 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 27 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Indiana come from Brown County, Pulaski County and Porter County. Next come Marshall County (4) and Martin County (4).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 86 licensed records, the joint 16th most recorded of 41 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Louisiana come from Iberia Parish, Lafayette Parish and Jackson Parish. Next come Rapides Parish (6) and Natchitoches Parish (5).
Alabama
Alabama holds 84 licensed records, the 24th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Alabama come from Lee County, Covington County and Mobile County. Next come Calhoun County (5) and Montgomery County (4).
Ohio
Ohio holds 64 licensed records, the 15th most recorded of 25 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Ohio come from Lucas County, Erie County and Hocking County. Next come Athens County (4) and Fairfield County (3).
Illinois
Illinois holds 60 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 33 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Illinois come from Richland County, St. Clair County and Wabash County. Next come Adams County (3) and Mason County (3).
Connecticut
Connecticut holds 48 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 14 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Connecticut come from New Haven County, Middlesex County and Fairfield County. Next come Windham County (3) and Litchfield County (1).
West Virginia
West Virginia holds 39 licensed records, the 14th most recorded of 18 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in West Virginia come from Mineral County, Morgan County and Hampshire County. Next come Pocahontas County (4) and Cabell County (4).
Mississippi
Mississippi holds 34 licensed records, the joint 17th most recorded of 38 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Mississippi come from Lafayette County, Kemper County and Harrison County. Next come Panola County (3) and Hancock County (2).
New Jersey
New Jersey holds 34 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 18 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in New Jersey come from Atlantic County, Burlington County and Cape May County. Next come Ocean County (4) and Monmouth County (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scotland County | North Carolina | 117 | 3.8% |
| 2 | Charlton County | Georgia | 52 | 1.7% |
| 3 | Moore County | North Carolina | 48 | 1.6% |
| 4 | Brazos County | Texas | 48 | 1.6% |
| 5 | Duplin County | North Carolina | 45 | 1.5% |
| 6 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 42 | 1.4% |
| 7 | Wake County | North Carolina | 41 | 1.3% |
| 8 | Richmond County | North Carolina | 37 | 1.2% |
| 9 | Cleveland County | Oklahoma | 30 | 1.0% |
| 10 | Travis County | Texas | 29 | 0.9% |
| 11 | Sampson County | North Carolina | 28 | 0.9% |
| 12 | Beaufort County | North Carolina | 24 | 0.8% |
| 13 | New Haven County | Connecticut | 22 | 0.7% |
| 14 | Hoke County | North Carolina | 22 | 0.7% |
| 15 | Harris County | Texas | 22 | 0.7% |
How recent are the eastern hog-nosed snake records?
The eastern hog-nosed snake record leans on older material: only 15% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1971. The oldest dated record is from 1854; the busiest year was 2025, with 59 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 4 | 0.1% |
| 1860s | 3 | 0.1% |
| 1870s | 17 | 0.6% |
| 1880s | 27 | 1.0% |
| 1890s | 44 | 1.6% |
| 1900s | 59 | 2.1% |
| 1910s | 121 | 4.3% |
| 1920s | 101 | 3.6% |
| 1930s | 294 | 10.4% |
| 1940s | 198 | 7.0% |
| 1950s | 223 | 7.9% |
| 1960s | 291 | 10.3% |
| 1970s | 264 | 9.3% |
| 1980s | 239 | 8.5% |
| 1990s | 123 | 4.4% |
| 2000s | 217 | 7.7% |
| 2010s | 274 | 9.7% |
| 2020s | 326 | 11.5% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 283 counties where the eastern hog-nosed snake is most recorded, 159 are also top counties for the eastern racer, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the eastern copperhead.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Eastern racer | 159 |
| DeKay's brown snake | 122 |
| Common garter snake | 115 |
| Eastern rat snake | 112 |
| Ring-necked snake | 109 |
| Northern water snake | 106 |
| Eastern copperhead venomous | 103 |
| Rough greensnake | 98 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Colubridae with profiles here: Western terrestrial garter snake, Common garter snake, Gopher snake, Ring-necked snake, Northern water snake and Eastern racer.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.