Rosie the Gaboon Viper (Bitis rhinoceros) drinking from her bowl.
Very important to regularly change and disinfect the waterbowl for your animals. As you see some saliva deposited and with the right temperature bacteria will grow. Don't top up, clean properly and refill.
#gaboonviper #bitisrhinoceros #snake #venomoussnakes #venomous
So in this clip, I am trying to do a little bit of waterbowl training with Daisy and albino Gaboon Viper (Bitis rhinoceros). Believe it or not, they don't move very much so we have to help them in their younger years to say well hydrated. They can't seem to find a waterbowl just a few centimeters away. LOL
She doesn't seem to be desperate for water in this clip, but we normally maneuver them over the bowl and mist or dunk their heads. Thisnoften gets them to drink. I have had many as soon as I hook them they look to drink. Snakes do learn!
Eventually I won't have to do anything about the first year is very important. Soaking also works like a charm.
Then you may notice that they have nostrils like funnels, so when it rains, they start drinking. The snakes nostrils go straight to the mouth.
#albinogaboonviper #bitisrhinoceros #Bitis #Gaboonviper
Our Black Mambas (Dendroaspis polylepis) that are on display looking nice all perched and basking together. These boys are around 2,7 meters long.
#blackmamba #dendroaspispolylepis #venomoussnakes #mambas
Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) just finished his meal and wanting more.
The most venomous snake drop for drop on the content of Africa! Extremely potent but fairly slow acting heamotoxic venom. Treatment with the monovalent antivenom which is made specifically for the Boomslang.
Not a snake, you really need to be concerned about as they quick to move away and often quite reluctant to bite. Although the lowveld ones are nutty. It is mostly snake handlers and people trying to catch or kill them that fall victim to a defensive bite.
#boomslang #dispholidustypus #treesnake #venomous #heamotoxic
Our big boy Gump (Forest Cobra) readjusting his jaws after a good meal. We have had this boy for around 10 years and he was an adult when we got him from another park. We thinking he must be in his twenties by now.
He is at least 2,7m maybe near 3m and is the largest true Cobra species in the world. The King Cobras are not true cobras and fall in a family of their own.
There was always thought to be just one species of Forest Cobra and King Cobra but now recently they have both been separated into 5 full species.
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#gargeer #reptilefeeding #reptilehusbandry #reptilehusbandryandnutrition #beardeddragon #reptilepets #reptilesuppliments
Cape Cobra (Naja nivea) breeding project off to a good start for 2025!
Cape Cobras are the most venomous cobra species in Africa, and the ones towards the coast here have more toxic venom than the ones found more inland.
They possess an extremely potent neurotoxin venom designed to paralyze their prey rapidly, where they asphixiate and die to be consumed whole. Cape Cobras often give dry bites to people, showing again that snakes have venom to secure prey. NOT to go and bite people.
Some venoms are a better deterrent than others, causing extreme pain or like the spitting cobras, blinding the attacker or aggressor.
#capecobra #najanivea #naja #Cobra #venomoussnakes #reptilebreeding
Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) eating rodents.
This extremely shy and nervous species really gets a bad rap. They are not aggressive animals, but due to their nervous disposition, they can be quick to bite. Snakes bite as a last resort and have many ways to ward off potential attackers or predators. Making noises when they have no ears or visual signs like holding up or in the case of a Black Mamba , gapping the mouth.
Snakes have venom predominantly to capture their prey. Some have a better defense than others when it comes to the use of venom, eg, spitting cobras blinding their attackers. That is a brilliant defense!
Helping my Albino Gaboon shed. It is not often that they have a bad or even broken shed, but this girl did have some poop etc on her as the male is also in the cage. Don't ask me what they get up to.
Otherwise, shed comes off nicely, and it is nice when a snake realizes when you're trying to help as she was struggling and riding onto her back.
#gaboonvipersofinstagram #gaboonviper #Bitis #albinogaboonviper #snake #shedding #snakeshedding #Viper #westafricangaboonviper
Violet, one of my many Gaboon Vipers is extremely defensive and although she doesn't really strike out this is really borderline posturing. Good to note body posturing with this species as well as this little tip.
Ambush predatory snakes (often easy to distinguish by their heavy bodied build), don't really have a smell. If they did, this would give them away to predators and prey. So if a snake has dedicated and is stuck around its smell it can become very agitated, especially in a captive situation.
I haven't seen this too much with other species, but definitely Gaboons. Sometime I just know they have gone. These snakes rarely move and I often have to show young animals where their water bowls are just 20 cm away. LOL they can go months without passing waste and often do so when they shed. In the wild, they would move off shed and possibly have an aquaturd (poop in the river), washing away any evidence of their existence like some species for example water monitors.
#gaboon #gaboonviper #westafricangaboonviper #viper #venomous #reptiles #gaboonvipersofinstagram
This is Striker, one of our many West African Gaboon Vipers (Bitis rhinoceros). He seems to be a bit rusty of late, but still a champ! The last slow motion clip, you can see venom squirting from his fang.
Now, they often inject in multiple points with their massive fangs piercing organs, etc. With such a high venom yield injected in this manor, the prey item is overwhelming rapidly.
#gaboonviper #westafricangaboonviper #vipersofinstagram #Viper #snake #snakestrike #Bitis #bitisrhinoceros
