Japanese pit viper (Gloydius blomhoffii)

Short answers

Japanese pit viper: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×50×50 cm.

Japanese pit viper: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C, basking spot 30–32 °C, at night 15–19 °C.

Japanese pit viper: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended.

Japanese pit viper: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 12–18 years.

Japanese pit viper: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C

Night temperature

15–19 °C

Basking spot

30–32 °C

Humidity

55–70 %

UVB

UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×50×50 cm

Substrate

Soil with leaf litter and stone slabs

Feeding

Food

Small frozen-thawed mice

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

45–80 cm

Life expectancy

12–18 years

Origin

Japan, Korea, north-eastern China

Protection status

VENOMOUS – the most common cause of bites in Japan; a dangerous animal

Brumation

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

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 temperate climate with a genuine, cold winter rest. A small, stocky pit viper, active by day and at dusk.

Do you keep this species?

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

Look for Japanese pit viper (Gloydius blomhoffii) in the marketplace →

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 Japanese pit viper (Gloydius blomhoffii) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×50×50 cm), substrate (Soil with leaf litter 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.