In a few cases involving bites from H. nasicus, the symptoms reported have ranged from none at all to mild tingling, swelling and itchy skin.

[5] Hognose snakes' most distinguishing characteristic is their upturned snout, which is believed to aid in digging in sandy soils.

When threatened, the hognose snake will flatten its neck and raise its head off the ground, similar to a cobra, and hiss.

If this threat display does not work to deter a would-be predator, the hognose snake will often roll onto its back and play dead with its mouth open and tongue lolling, going as far as to emit a foul musk from the cloaca.

[8] Unfortunately due to their appearance and impressive defensive display, hognose snakes are commonly mistaken to be copperheads and subsequently killed.

[9] Hognose snakes live chiefly on toads and can neutralize that animal’s poisonous skin secretions physiologically.