Why Are Hognose Snakes Illegal In Colorado

I beleive the rule recently changed for Colorado. Reach out to HIP HOGs on facebook. She is the first legal breeder of hognose in Colorado and can help you understand the rules/changes to the law recently.

Western hognose snake Heterodon nasicus Such reptiles and amphibians and their progeny may only be disposed of by gift or as authorized by the Division of Wildlife.

Breeding is not illegal. The law is as follows: Western hognoses are considered native wildlife in Colorado. You cannot buy, sell, or trade native reptiles in the state of Colorado. You are, however, allowed legally to keep up to six specimens from the native species list.

Venomous exotic snakes of the families Viperidae, Atractaspididae, Elapidae, and Colubridae, except for hognose snakes Genus Heterodon Exemptions include AZA institutuions, municipal zoos, research universities, or permitted circuses.

The goal with this petition is to get Colorado Parks and Wildlife to adjust or change the laws pertaining this specific species of snake, so Colorado reptile shops and snake enthusiasts have the right to own, breed, and sell captive bred Western Hognose snakes.

I beleive the rule recently changed for Colorado. Reach out to HIP HOGs on facebook. She is the first legal breeder of hognose in Colorado and can help you understand the rules/changes to the law recently.

Hello, So I have done extensive research on the laws in place here in Colorado on owning and breeding Western Hognose snakes. I'm hearing a bunch of mix stories and I'm sure I'll hear some mixed ones on here too. I've even spoken with a Parks and Recreational License Officer about it and she didn't.

You are not allowed to own, gift, buy, sell or trade captive bred Heterodon nasicus (Western Plains Hognose) in the state of Colorado without a license. **** ALERT **** We recently learned that as of July 2025 you are unable to legally own any Hognose snakes within Denver City/county? (unsure) limits.

Venomous exotic snakes of the families Viperidae, Atractaspididae, Elapidae, and Colubridae, except for hognose snakes Genus Heterodon Exemptions include AZA institutuions, municipal zoos, research universities, or permitted circuses.

Eastern and Southern Hognose are legal to buy and sell. Western Hognose are not. Western hognose are LEGAL to collect in the wild as long as you don't take more than 4 at a time, and do not possess more than 12 native snakes at a time, with the exception of a clutch hatching putting you over the 12 snakes temporarily.

It is ILLEGAL to buy, sell, gift, or otherwise transfer the ownership of a Western Hognose within Colorado. Also, Hognose are technically venomous, but the venom is harmless to humans, and is excreted in their saliva and not injected through fangs, so they are not considered venomous snakes by law.

Western hognose snake Heterodon nasicus Such reptiles and amphibians and their progeny may only be disposed of by gift or as authorized by the Division of Wildlife.

Hello! I currently live in Colorado and was planning to get a Hognose snakes in the near future. I just learned through a reddit post that there are some pretty specific laws about Hognose snakes, and after reading through a bunch of forums and seeing that almost all of them are 2+ years old I decided to read through the Colorado wildlife regulations myself. Did the legality recently change.

Breeding is not illegal. The law is as follows: Western hognoses are considered native wildlife in Colorado. You cannot buy, sell, or trade native reptiles in the state of Colorado. You are, however, allowed legally to keep up to six specimens from the native species list.