HANDS-ON WITH A MALAYAN PIT VIPER

The Malayan Pit Viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma KUHL 1824) is a notorious venomous snake native to Northern Malaysia, Thailand, and Java Island in Indonesia. This snake prefers bamboo thickets, agricultural plots, and coastal forests as habitat. In the wild, small rodents and ground birds comprise a large part of its diet; lizards and frogs, however, may also be taken. Being a sedentary, short-tempered, fast-striking snake, C. rhodostoma has caused quite a number of human fatalities in its range annualy, especially to people whose times are spent working in plantations.

In captivity, which I had experienced in two separate occasions: 1) while doing apprentice work with the Swiss herpetoculturists residing in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, sometime in 1991, and 2) at Avilon Zoo in Montalban, Rizal, in 2007, the species requires temperature of between 26 and 30 degrees Celsius and RH 70-80% in order to thrive. An occasional basking under natural sunlight will certainly benefit the snake's in health and stimulate its appetite. Feeding sometimes is difficult if the snake is freshly acquired. As soon as the snake acclimatizes to a captive condition then feeding will never be of a problem any more, as long as a supply of mice never run out. Water is taken freely from a large water bowl and the snake loves to soak in it. A snake hook is use for lifting up the snake and restraining is done similarly as with other species of terrestrial vipers The snake should also undergo a complete veterinary workup periodically for the possible presence of endoparasites, especially round worms.

It's a pity that I wasn't able to experience breeding the species because we always have only one specimen in the collection. I'm sure that, in the near future, I would be given the opportunity to experience breeding a pair of C. rhodostoma in captivity at Herpaworld.

HANDS-ON WITH A MALAYAN PIT VIPER 8-17-06-2027

HANDS-ON WITH A MALAYAN PIT VIPER 8-17-06-2027

This is the male C. rhodostoma I have worked with in 2007 at Avilon Zoo

Nice species!

A friend of mine always refers to this snakes as being biological landmines.
Razz

I think this species is highly underappreciated. They are just to cheap.

Jelmer

Very nice, here is a picture of my old female.
HANDS-ON WITH A MALAYAN PIT VIPER Calloselasma+rhodostoma_25051

I'll soon be getting another pair again born early 07.

Cheers, Ronny

Jelmer Groen wrote:: Nice species!

A friend of mine always refers to this snakes as being biological landmines.

I think this species is highly underappreciated. They are just to cheap.

Jelmer

You're right, Jelmer. They sure are biological landmines lying-in-wait for somebody to step on them in the bushes and... BANG!

Anyways, I just love that sinister-looking characteristic of this snake... it gives me that kind of weird feelings whenever I handle it. Very Happy

Ronny Levin wrote:: Very nice, here is a picture of my old female.

I'll soon be getting another pair again born early 07.

Cheers, Ronny

A female? WOW! What a Face

Well, good luck for your upcoming pair.

nice snake!
maybe we have some in the future here!?!
let's ask my dad(and Boss) about it!!! :-D

i am scared about biological land mines!

The snakes of this spec. my friend had in his shop were easy to handle. They show no agressive behavier.
Maybe it has to do that they were captive breeds

Mario Lutz wrote:: i am scared about biological land mines!

ok that means we not gonna get some??

what the heck does that mean? sure we will have them, as soon as we have more space. since when did i back off of biological land-mines? Very Happy

I did not breed'em last year, because almost nobody is looking for these nasty snappers.
But if you guys overthere want some, i'll put'em together right now.
Peter

yes peter, please do so! i dont like this wc animals, offered here once in a while.

cheers,
mario

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