Bothrops recommendations

Hi all,
I work for an AZA (American Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accredited facility that's looking to fill a specific sized cage with a Bothrops spp.. The theme is terrestrial Central and South American species. The cage is about 24inches x 36inches (61cm x 91cm). The service area is approximately 6ft x 8ft (180cm x 244cm) with a single door in/out. Which species would live comfortably in this cage? Additionally would you then be comfortable with it's temperment working it in that service area?

I was thinking intially B. alternatus or B. moojeni. Those are the only two that leapt to mine. I'm only vaugly familiar with the genus. I know they're highly venomous, flighty, and aggressive. If the theme wasn't terrestrial dwelling Bothrops, then I'd love to get the golden lancehead. Maybe sometime down the road and in another enclosure...

Thanks for the help.

Kyle Finn

That cage is definitely too small for a B. moojeni (females exceed 5 ft), and on the small side for a B. alternatus, at least if it's a bigger female.

Similarly, the service area is also going to feel awfully small if a big moojeni ever ended up loose on the floor in it.

B. neuwiedi would be a better choice.

Guest

Hello Kyle,

Bothrops jararaca is also stunning, and stays a size its still easy to handle.

Cheers,
Christoph

Christoph Denk wrote:: Hello Kyle,

Bothrops jararaca is also stunning, and stays a size its still easy to handle.

Cheers,
Christoph

Big Bothrops jararaca get to over 120 cm (4 ft). Admittedly they are usually much quieter and more tractable than B. moojeni and B. alternatus.

Wolfgang Wüster wrote:

Christoph Denk wrote:: Hello Kyle,

Bothrops jararaca is also stunning, and stays a size its still easy to handle.

Cheers,
Christoph

Big Bothrops jararaca get to over 120 cm (4 ft). Admittedly they are usually much quieter and more tractable than B. moojeni and B. alternatus.

I don´t have experiences with B.moojeni but I have B.alternatus and B.jararaca and not sure if jararacas are more tractable, they are not so agressive but much more faster and unpredictable in my opinion. But handling is "maybe" little bit better with jararacas because they hold better on the hook.

Awesome guys thanks for the info!

Jaroslav Karhánek wrote:: I don´t have experiences with B.moojeni but I have B.alternatus and B.jararaca and not sure if jararacas are more tractable, they are not so agressive but much more faster and unpredictable in my opinion. But handling is "maybe" little bit better with jararacas because they hold better on the hook.

In the time I spent in Brazil working at Instituto Butantan, I saw a lot of B. jararaca - of all the more common southeastern Brazilian Bothrops, they were by far the quietest. Recently arrived snakes were kept in large boxes with wire mesh covers. When you lean over the boxes with B. moojeni, B. neuwiedi (B. pauloensis under current systematic arrangements) and B. alternatus, just about ever snake snaps at you. With B. jararaca, it would only ever be an occasional specimen that would strike. Ditto during photo sessions. That said, these were all recently wild-caught specimens, I have little experience with long-term captives, so some species may settle down much better than others. And they are all individuals, of course, and some are going to be a lot more cranky than others by nature.

Not sure how hung up on just Bothrops your are? Jumping vipers (Atropoides nummifera, used to be Bothrops) are great snakes and would seem to have many desireable traits for display animals.

Thanks for the further info on B. jararaca. I'm totally down for a more "chill" Bothrops since I don't have much experience with them!

Bob - Initially I was asked for opinions on just Central and South American terrestrial vipers. Cantils, jumping and hognosed vipers all were the first to leap to my mind. All 3 species would be perfect for the display in my opinion because they're all smaller. But my curator really has her hands tied because for marketing they submitted Bothrops spp. as one of the species for the opening.

Wolfgang Wüster wrote:

Jaroslav Karhánek wrote:: I don´t have experiences with B.moojeni but I have B.alternatus and B.jararaca and not sure if jararacas are more tractable, they are not so agressive but much more faster and unpredictable in my opinion. But handling is "maybe" little bit better with jararacas because they hold better on the hook.

In the time I spent in Brazil working at Instituto Butantan, I saw a lot of B. jararaca - of all the more common southeastern Brazilian Bothrops, they were by far the quietest. Recently arrived snakes were kept in large boxes with wire mesh covers. When you lean over the boxes with B. moojeni, B. neuwiedi (B. pauloensis under current systematic arrangements) and B. alternatus, just about ever snake snaps at you. With B. jararaca, it would only ever be an occasional specimen that would strike. Ditto during photo sessions. That said, these were all recently wild-caught specimens, I have little experience with long-term captives, so some species may settle down much better than others. And they are all individuals, of course, and some are going to be a lot more cranky than others by nature.

Yea, you are right. They are not so aggressive and don´t strike so often it´s oposite of B.alternatus but if they strike it´s seems to me more "dangerous" (don´t know how to write it:) ) because their striking range is bigger and also are attacking several times in row (or mine do that sometime). Maybe I have just some more unqiet ones:) But have to say that they are more quiet than they have been when I bought them. But without debt they are stunning:)

Kyle:

In my opinion, B barnetti and B pictus are the best options:

1. Small and medium size.
2 Temperament: Quiet.
3. Adaptability: Excellent.
4. Good feeders (rodents).
5. Beautiful snakes.... (view my topics in Bothrops).

Greetings from Incas´Land

Bothrops insularis (Golden lancehead) is a very nice specie to have, they are medium sized like the B. barnetti and the B. pictus that Walter Silva mention, Maybe you could get also a B.neuweidi they are medium sized as well (60-80cm prom.)

Cheers!

PD: I dont know if you could get a B.pictus it's an endangered specie.

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