This site was inspired by the work done by Jeff Beane and Tom Thorp in North Carolina, the original "Project Simus"
All photos by Glenn Bartolotti unless otherwise posted.
Please contact me if you would like to use any of the photos at: bladerunner8u@netscape.net
Thank You!
 Genus: Heterodon simus Identification size: 14 - 22 inches The common name for Simus is the "Southern Hognose Snake". It has a thick body and sharply upturned, pointed snout. Coloration is light yellowish-brown and may be tinged with orange-red, with dark blotches on the back and smaller blotches on the sides. A High red phase can be found in north Florida. The underside of the tail and the ventor is mottled in a sandy gray color. Juveniles are similar to the adults but may have a darker gray mottled pattern on their belly. It is very rare in Florida now because of new home development, but still persists near rural homes and farms that are in upland pine/sandhills habitat. Simus spend a considerable amount of time under ground. The most active time for above ground movement is in the summer and fall months when temerature are very high. The Southern Hognose Snake has two interesting ways to protect itself. The first thing it does when it feels threatened is to flaten it's head and make itself look like a cobra. If that fails to deter it goes into a fake death roll, then ends up on it's back playing dead. If you turn him right side up, he immediately turns himself upside down again. Southern Hognose Snakes spread or flatten their head in a more subdued way than their cusins the Eastern Hognose Snake. Wild caught Southern Hognose Snakes make poor captives, doing well at first if they eat, but more times than none will die in the first year of captivity. If you wish to keep a Southern Hognose Snake then purchase a captive born specimen, as they do well if maintained properly. Habitat Upland scrub/pine/sandhills. Food Overpowers its prey. It feeds mainly on spadefoot, southern, and oak toads. It uses its upturned nose to dig toads from their daytime borrows. It will also eat frogs, lizards, and insects. Since it spends 80% of the time underground I believe almost any animal that also lives underground of suitable size can also be prey. Southern Hognose Snakes move very slow and it is easier for them to find prey underground where it is confined and thus easier to catch. Breeding It lays eggs. Breeding takes place between April and August. Males often follow the female for several days prior to courtship and copulation. They lay between 6-14 whitish, thin-shelled, leathery eggs, which hatch in 55-60 days. Hatchlings are 6-7 inches.  |  Toads make up the bulk of there diet.  Southern Hognose Snakes will opportunistically feed on lizards. Here is a female eating a Fence lizard which also lives in the sandhill scrub.  Six-Line Racerunner are also eaten.  Spadefoot toads are preferred most as a food source by Southern Hognose snakes  This 18.5" female was found in July 2008. It was gravid and carried 10 eggs. |
