Russells Viper Care Sheet
Russells Viper Care Sheet
By Reptitrader
Scroll down for a russells viper video
Picture By Saleem Hameed
(Care Sheets are a simplified guide to looking after snakes, for a more complete guide refer to the relevant book in our book store)
General: The Russells (Daboia russelii russelii) Viper is a stout bodied snake, with a distinct head and keeled scales. It is Primarily Nocturnal and is found in open grassy areas, forest edges and in mangrove forests. Russells Vipers are found throughout India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand.
Venom: The Russells Viper has Haemotoxic venom which causes thrombosis and some necrosis as well as cardiac arrest. These snakes are responsible for thousands of deaths in Asia. They are one of the deadliest snakes in the world but a polyvalent antivenin is available and would be a good idea to have on hand when keeping one of these snakes. It is a slow moving snake, but is capable of lightning fast strikes.
Enclosure: The Russells Viper is Terrestrial and spends all its time on the ground. It is an active snake and therefore requires a lot of space. An enclosure of at least 4ft X 2ft X 1,5ft. Space is also a handy thing to have when working with venomous snakes. The enclosure should be escape proof and lockable. The enclosure should be furnished with a water bowl and a hide. A trap box as a hide makes it easier to clean the enclosure.
Temperature and Humidity: Russells Vipers require an ambient temperature of about 28 degrees C with a hot spot of about 31 degrees. A high humidity of between 70 and 80% is required. Due to the snake being nocturnal a 25watt bulb during the day is sufficient for lighting.
Feeding: Russells vipers can be fed rodents no bigger than 1 and a half times the snakes girth at its widest point. It is preferable to feed pre killed rodents with feeding tongs as this helps you to remove refused prey items and poses no threat to the snake.
Cleaning: Your Russells vipers enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a month and faeces should be removed as soon as it appears. Clean Water should be available at all times.
