Eastern nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes ammodytes)

Short answers

Eastern nose-horned viper: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 120×75×60 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, European vipers).

Eastern nose-horned viper: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C, basking spot 32–34 °C, at night 14–18 °C.

Eastern nose-horned viper: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended.

Eastern nose-horned viper: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–20 years.

Eastern nose-horned viper: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C

Night temperature

14–18 °C

Basking spot

32–34 °C

Humidity

45–60 %

UVB

UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 120×75×60 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, European vipers)

Substrate

Rock and loam with crevices and stone slabs

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

60–95 cm

Life expectancy

15–20 years

Origin

Nordostitalien, Südösterreich (Kärnten, Steiermark) und nördlicher bis zentraler Balkan (Slowenien, Kroatien, Bosnien, Serbien, Montenegro, Albanien, Nordmazedonien, SW-Rumänien, NW-Bulgarien)

Protection status

VENOMOUS – a dangerous animal; protected within its range

Brumation

A winter rest of 12–16 weeks at 5–10 °C

Cohabitation

Keep singly. For a venomous snake, one animal per enclosure is the safe and less stressful solution: no squabbles, no feeding accidents, and every time you open it you know where the one animal is. Keeping adult pairs in a large enclosure does happen in practice, but has drawbacks – both can grab the same food item, you can no longer see who is eating and who is losing weight, and during every task two venomous animals have to be watched. Juveniles cannibalise each other and are always raised singly. For breeding, introduce them under supervision after brumation.

Notes

The nominate form of the horned viper. Care as for the species: dry, sunny, with a genuinely cold overwintering.

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Related species

• Nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes) – Expert
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All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Eastern nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes ammodytes) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 120×75×60 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, European vipers)), substrate (Rock and loam with crevices and 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.