Harmless · North Carolina
Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos
Upturned snout with variable blotched coloration and a stout-bodied profile.
At a glance
Size
Usually 20-35 inches.
North Carolina range
Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain
Habitat
sandy woods, fields, forest edges
Diet
Primarily toads; also frogs, salamanders, and small reptiles.
Pattern
blotches
Venomous
No
How to identify it
Stout snake with a sharply upturned snout and highly variable color; it may flatten its neck or play dead when threatened.
Where to look in North Carolina
Found statewide but most common where sandy soils and toads are abundant.
Sandy woods, fields, forest edges, and other loose-soil habitats.
Regional maps show broad physiographic provinces, not county-level records.
Photo guide
Use the gallery to check pattern, body shape, and context—not just overall color.
