Painted saw-scaled viper (Echis coloratus)

Short answers

Painted saw-scaled viper: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 100×60×50 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, saw-scaled vipers).

Painted saw-scaled viper: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–32 °C, basking spot 36–40 °C, at night 20–24 °C.

Painted saw-scaled viper: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended.

Painted saw-scaled viper: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 8–12 years.

Painted saw-scaled viper: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–32 °C

Night temperature

20–24 °C

Basking spot

36–40 °C

Humidity

30–45 %

UVB

UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 100×60×50 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, saw-scaled vipers)

Substrate

Recreate a stone desert: sand-loam with plenty of rock crevices

Feeding

Food

Small frozen-thawed mice, occasionally lizard substitutes

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

60–75 cm

Life expectancy

8–12 years

Origin

Sinai, Israel, Jordan, the Arabian Peninsula – rocky desert

Protection status

VENOMOUS – a dangerous animal; a permit or notification is required, varying by German state

Brumation

A cooler spell of 6–8 weeks

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 rock dweller rather than a sand burrower – it climbs more than the other Echis and needs crevices rather than deep sand.

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

• Egyptian saw-scaled viper (Echis pyramidum) – Expert
• Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) – Expert
• Sochurek's saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus sochureki) – Expert
• West African carpet viper (Echis ocellatus) – Expert
• Savanna vine snake (Thelotornis capensis) – Expert
• Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) – Expert
• Barnett's lancehead (Bothrops barnetti) – Expert
• Usambara bush viper (Atheris ceratophora) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Painted saw-scaled viper (Echis coloratus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 100×60×50 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, saw-scaled vipers)), substrate (Recreate a stone desert: sand-loam with plenty of rock crevices), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.