King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)

Short answers

King cobra: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 565×340×200 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, king cobra); a walk-in room is recommended.

King cobra: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–30 °C, basking spot 32–33 °C, at night 22–24 °C.

King cobra: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended.

King cobra: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 20+ years.

King cobra: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–30 °C

Night temperature

22–24 °C

Basking spot

32–33 °C

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 565×340×200 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, king cobra); a walk-in room is recommended

Substrate

Soil or bark mulch, large hides, a very large water basin

Feeding

Food

Other snakes (frozen-thawed snakes); switching them to rats is sometimes possible

Feeding interval

adults every 2–4 weeks

Key facts

Adult size

300–450 cm (the longest venomous snake)

Life expectancy

20+ years

Origin

South and South-East Asia – rainforest

Protection status

VENOMOUS – an enormous venom yield; CITES II; a dangerous animal, and several German states prohibit keeping it

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Single housing. King cobras eat other snakes - including their own kind (cannibalism is documented) - so animals never belong in one facility together. If two animals grab the same prey, one can swallow the other; with shared housing you also can no longer tell which animal has eaten. Bring together for mating only under control and separate again afterwards.

Notes

The most demanding venomous snake there is: its size, intelligence, space requirement and dietary specialisation (it eats snakes). A single envenomation can be fatal. Only for zoos and designated specialists with official authorisation.

Do you keep this species?

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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 King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 565×340×200 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, king cobra); a walk-in room is recommended), substrate (Soil or bark mulch, large hides, a very large water basin), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.