Another happy customer with our Gargeer Fruit Blend calcium. Flavored calcium with D3 vitamins and real organic fruit.
Online shop for South Africa only!
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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
This Southern African Python (Python natalensis) is very vocal once disturbed, but funnily enough, it doesn't bite in defense. I have another animal that is the same. Obviously, a wild animal is a different case entirely. They can also curl the tail so it looks more like a head for a would-be attacker. Then also musk, with is an awful smelly paste like off mustard colour. Snakes are many defenses, and a bite is often the last resort.
Snakes don't want to bite, and if this animal were to bite in defense, it would be minimal as they just tap you with an open mouth. The feeding response from large Pythons and Boas, on the other hand it can be extremely dangerous. This is when they will hold on and constrict. This is why we tap train them so they know it is not dinner time.
#Python #southernafricanpython #snake #reptile #defensive #snakeshedding
Daisy one of our 3 lightest coloured Albino Gaboon Vipers in the world. I just love the pale yellows with the pink but I am guessing more people like the reds and orange. Then of course we going to get the comments that the normals ate best. LOL, we know!
#albinogaboonviper #albinobitisrhinoceros #albinosnake #albinoanimals #gaboonvipersofinstagram #gaboonviper #Bitis #westafricangaboonviper #bitisrhinoceros #viral #albinoreptiles #Viper
This girl is massive. She is a Blood python AKA Malaysian short-tailed Python (Python brongersmai).
They average 1,6m to 1,8m but records of 2,4m have been found and some even say upto 3m but I haven't seen clear evidence of this. They are the heaviest bodied snake in the world for their lenght.
If you have a moster please post! We would love to see it.
#python #bloodpython #pythonbrongersmai #pythonbrongersmaiofinstagram
My largest Malaysians Short-tailed Python (Python brongersmai)
This girl is an absolute sweetheart, but you have to watch her feeding response. She once got me on the thumb and it felt like she was going to pull all the meat of the bone. Never once have I seen her go for something like that and I was just changing the waterbowl. Always a good wake up call when they get you. Luckily not something venomous.
It is always best practice to let a snake know it is you so as to avoid a feeding response. When a snake wants to eat something, they move with their full potential. When they are defensive they much slower, mocking and give plenty warning.
Violet the WA Gaboon Viper a bit slow on the feeding response as she was just in a bit of a defensive mode before the rodent landed. She had to switch gears there.
A good, slow-motion shot of how those large hinged fangs are used. Injecting huge amounts of venom deep into the prey item.
#gaboonviper #gaboonsofinstagram #bitisrhinoceros #slowmotion #westafricangaboonviper #vipersofinstagram #Viper #snakefeeding
Slowmo hit from a (Bitis nasicornis) aka River Jack, Butterfly Viper. They used to be called Rhino Vipers but this is now reserved for West African Gaboon Vipers (Bitis rhinoceros). It makes sense with the scientific name and all but man it is a hard pill to swallow.
What do you think, should we keep to Rhino Viper?
#Bitis #bitisnasicornis #Viper #adder #snake #snakestrike #reptile #vipersofinstagram #slowmotion
