Adult hognose snakes usually stay small to medium-sized, with most common pet species reaching about 1.5–3 feet (45–90 cm) in length when fully grown.

Quick Scoop: How big do hognose snakes get?

  • Most North American hognose snakes (like the popular western/plains hognose) usually grow to about 14–28 inches (roughly 1.5–2.5 feet), with large females sometimes approaching 3 feet.
  • Eastern hognose snakes average close to 28 inches, and big individuals can reach around 3.5–4 feet, though that’s on the larger side for the genus.
  • Southern hognose snakes are smaller, often in the 13–24 inch range as adults.
  • Some Madagascar species, like the Malagasy giant hognose, are the true outliers and can reach about 6 feet long, but these are not the typical “pet hognose” people talk about.

So if you’re thinking in terms of a typical pet western hognose, plan for an adult size around 2 feet, with a chunky, heavy-bodied look rather than a long, thin snake.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.