Peringuey's adder (Bitis peringueyi)

Short answers

Peringuey's adder: How big does the enclosure need to be?

80×40×40 cm.

Peringuey's adder: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–34 °C (strong gradient), basking spot 38–42 °C, at night 16–20 °C.

Peringuey's adder: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended.

Peringuey's adder: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 8–12 years.

Peringuey's adder: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–34 °C (strong gradient)

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

38–42 °C

Humidity

20–35 %, plus one humid area

UVB

UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

80×40×40 cm

Substrate

Very fine, deep dune sand (at least 10–15 cm) for burying

Feeding

Food

Kleine Echsen (in der Natur v. a. Sandeidechsen und Bellgeckos); in Menschenobhut kleine Frostmäuse, abwechslungsreich

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

20–32 cm (one of the smallest vipers)

Life expectancy

8–12 years

Origin

The Namib Desert (Namibia, southern Angola)

Protection status

VENOMOUS – a dangerous animal; keeping it requires a permit or notification, varying by German state

Brumation

A cooler, drier spell of 2–3 months

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

The sidewinder of the Namib – it moves sideways over loose sand and buries itself up to the eyes. It needs real dune sand, not coir substrate. A marked night drop, and a hot sunny spot by day.

Do you keep this species?

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Look for Peringuey's adder (Bitis peringueyi) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) – Expert
• Horned adder (Bitis caudalis) – Expert
• Rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis) – Expert
• Puff adder (Bitis arietans) – Expert
• West African gaboon viper (Bitis rhinoceros) – Expert
• Savanna vine snake (Thelotornis capensis) – Expert
• Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) – Expert
• Egyptian saw-scaled viper (Echis pyramidum) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Peringuey's adder (Bitis peringueyi) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×40×40 cm), substrate (Very fine, deep dune sand (at least 10–15 cm) for burying), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.