A Size Comparison

​​As I was prepping for a post in a Facebook group I help admin for primarily novice Hognose Snake Keepers I realized I should probably share this elsewhere.

 Generally, most new keepers do not grasp just how small hognose hatchlings are. Size out of the egg can vary drastically, as can the size of the hatchling when a breeder makes it available for purchase, but while the animal remains on pinkies this concept usually holds.
There's a reason why I recommend the first initial home to be a 6Qt latching Sterlite tub. I use pencil tubs to raise my babies in. They're almost always still small enough to fit in these tubs comfortably when they leave my facility. In the photos I have included a baby that has had 10 total meals (not all unscented so he's not leaving yet) in his tub, next to a 6Qt Sterlite (one of my Springtail cultures) and a Sharpie for comparison. He's most likely right around 9g. Notice how much larger the 6Qt is still! This is primarily why we don't recommend 10 Gallon tanks right away.
We know tubs don't work for everyone. We know and love that you want to see your animal. We want them to do well for you. For them to do well, they need to feel secure enough to eat. Once they're eating and growing we enthusiastically encourage larger tank setups. All we want is to make your success as a Hognose keeper easier and more enjoyable.