Hognose snake playing dead

Hognose snake filmed playing dead when approached by snake catcher

Snakes have a wide variety of talents, and no two species are exactly alike. Some are expert climbers, others swim with ease, and still others strike with such speed that it takes only milliseconds to land a devastating blow. Then there’s the humble hognose, a snake that doesn’t climb, rarely swims, and possesses only mild venom.

That said, the small-boned serpent isn’t without talent. On the contrary, it’s among the best actors in the animal kingdom.

Like any good performer, the hognose snake doesn’t whip out its superior acting skills for just anything. Instead, it saves them for life or death situations – or, at least, what it perceives as such.

When Georgia snake catcher James Dowling gently induced a hognose snake’s “impressive theatrics,” he didn’t mean the crafty colubrid any harm. All the snake saw, however, was a large creature approaching it, hand outstretched.

So, the hognose deterred the potential threat in the best way it knows how: playing dead.

As you can see, the hognose snake takes its act very seriously. Fully committed, it writhes violently against the ground, mouth open, tongue lolling, before finally coming to a dramatic halt, belly up and motionless.

Dowling jokingly attempts CPR on the little snake, pressing against its belly with a single finger. He even lifts it off the ground, turning it over in an effort to make it give up the act. The snake, however, remains completely still, patiently waiting for the potential predator to move on to livelier prey.

The video doesn’t show it, but the moment the hognose snake feels safe once more, it will magically come back to life and slither away as if nothing happened.

Why do hognose snakes fake their deaths when threatened?

Thanatosis, more commonly known as “playing possum,” is a relatively common defense strategy among prey animals. Ducks, lemon sharks, rabbits, frogs, and, of course, opossums all play dead as a means of defending themselves against attack.

The hognose snake will even secrete a foul-smelling liquid to add another layer of realism to its performance. Anything to make its act more convincing in the eyes of a predator.

While some predators will eat carrion (dead animals), many prefer a live meal. By playing dead, the hognose snake is rolling the dice, relying on the odds that the approaching predator is in the latter category.

Typically, though, they don’t immediately resort to playing possum when threatened. Before the porcine performer feigns its death, it will flatten its neck, raise its head, and hiss loudly, mimicking much more threatening species.

If their cobra impression doesn’t do the trick, they might lunge at their attacker, though their venom is unlikely to do much against a large predator. Only when its scare tactics fail does the hognose snake launch into a theatrical death display.

As entertaining as this performance is, however, you should never attempt to provoke it. When a hognose snake plays dead, it does so under extreme distress and fear.

Moreover, while a hognose’s bite won’t cause severe harm, it’s not painless, either. And even harmless species deserve personal space!