V.raddei ¨hibernation¨

hello all!

Im wondering that how should i hibernate them?
already dropped them to room temperature during few weeks, but how should i keep going?
so how low should temperatures drop and how long should i keep temps down?
if i remember right they are from Turkey or Armenia.

Thanks in advance!

Hi Joni,

I do not keep Montivipera raddei anymore, but I kept them besides M. wagneri, M. xanthina and other european and oriental vipers for several years in the past.
Starting in october or november I slowly cooled them down by opening the windows and reducing daily light endurance and heating for about three weeks. Then I put them in boxes into a fridge where I hibernated them for ten to sixteen weeks.
Back in their terraria they got light and heating starting with eight hours per day to get up to twelve hours daily after three or four weeks. Usually males of the mountain-adders shed their skins during this time to start mating just afterwards.

Good luck

Peter

Hi Joni

I just saw your question.
Well I'm originally from Armenia, where i used to keep and breed Montivipera raddei in both outdoor vivarium and terrarium between 1996-2001. This snake inhabits mountain regions with pretty cold and long winter. Naturally they hibernate from late October to early April. So, feel free to drop a temperature down to +4-6C, for 6-8 week. Longer brumation up-to 3-4 month is fine as long as your snakes are in a good shape. They will start mating after the first post-brumation shade, just keep the midday temperature at 32-35C in the warm side of your terrarium. I hope this helps.

Tigran

I agree with both: Peter & Tigran.
I have also breed the Monitivipera xanthina - Complex several times. Cool and long hibernation is the key (exepted xanthina Popl. from the coastal areas and some Islands)! When you don´t cool them down enought, the will be active in theire hibernaculum! When the Temps are rising over 10°C and you opend the boxes, you will see, that the are very active. Hibernation Temps must be very cool. Time can be very long and Temps about 4-6°C like Tigran wrotes are perfect!

Hello Joni,

I used to keep several species of Montivipera, including raddei from Armenia.
Like Tigran and Peter van Issem wrote, 4-6°C are ok, in very cold winters mine sometimes had 2° for a while. I hibernated them from about mid-October to mid-March, duration partly depending on outdoor temp. as I could not cool the room if spring was too early and warm. I never had any losses with this method and all females that were able to breed did so.

Usually this species shows you when it´s time for hibernation.

Good luck with yours,
Rainer