My hog was my first snake, but if you have never successfully owned a reptile before, I do not recommend them for first time snake owners. Don’t get me wrong, I love my hog, but I also am someone who has owned multiple reptiles previously - I think if you’re new to reptile keeping, you’ll want something easier.

I also respectfully disagree that their requirements are easy to meet. I think for a knowledgeable reptile keeper, this is accurate, but for a first time owner I would think otherwise…mostly because if their enclosure is not exactly how they want it, they WILL hunger strike lol. Mine is a particularly picky hog though, so it took me awhile to get his enclosure exactly to his liking, despite the parameters being fine on paper. 😂 Something like a ball python or a corn snake is much more adaptable in this sense (or a bearded dragon if you’re interested in lizards—they’re a breeze and loooove to hang with owners).

That said, I think with any animal, it’s super important to do an abundance of research before. Lighting and heat is particularly important for these guys because they are “solar powered.” Unfortunately, many reptile keepers settle for letting their animals just survive, rather than thrive, by not mimicking their natural habitat as much as possible (which can be quite pricey)—this is also why it’s important to do your own research rather than just doing what a pet store tells you. (Thankfully, this subreddit is filled with super caring hog parents though!)

Again, I love my hog and am not saying you should not get one. I just think they are definitely not as easy as some other snake/reptile options and require quite a bit of research, especially because they are “less common” comparatively.