Desert black snake (Walterinnesia aegyptia)

Short answers

Desert black snake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 165×100×65 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, desert cobras).

Desert black snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 27–33 °C, basking spot 36–38 °C, at night 20–24 °C.

Desert black snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended.

Desert black snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–20 years.

Desert black snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

27–33 °C

Night temperature

20–24 °C

Basking spot

36–38 °C

Humidity

30–45 %

UVB

UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 165×100×65 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, desert cobras)

Substrate

Sand-loam they can dig in, stone slabs

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

80–130 cm

Life expectancy

15–20 years

Origin

Egypt, Israel, Jordan, the Arabian Peninsula

Protection status

VENOMOUS – a dangerous animal under German state law

Brumation

A cooler dry spell is possible

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. Snakes are solitary and do not seek company — a shared hide is competition for the best spot, not social behaviour. The concrete reason is the feeding accident: if two animals grab the same food item, one can swallow the other along with it. On top of that, once they are kept together you can no longer tell which animal has eaten and which is losing weight. For breeding, put them together under supervision and separate them again afterwards.

Notes

A glossy black desert elapid, nocturnal, burying itself by day. It does not rear up like a cobra.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

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Related species

• Savanna vine snake (Thelotornis capensis) – Expert
• Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) – Expert
• Egyptian saw-scaled viper (Echis pyramidum) – Expert
• Barnett's lancehead (Bothrops barnetti) – Expert
• Usambara bush viper (Atheris ceratophora) – Expert
• Ottoman viper (Montivipera xanthina) – Expert
• Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) – Expert
• Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Desert black snake (Walterinnesia aegyptia) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 165×100×65 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, desert cobras)), substrate (Sand-loam they can dig in, stone slabs), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.