Rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis)

Short answers

Rhinoceros viper: How big does the enclosure need to be?

120×60×60 cm.

Rhinoceros viper: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 23–27 °C, basking spot 28–30 °C (weak, spot-sized warm place), at night 20–22 °C.

Rhinoceros viper: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential (crepuscular/nocturnal, a forest-floor dweller).

Rhinoceros viper: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 10–15 years.

Rhinoceros viper: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

23–27 °C

Night temperature

20–22 °C

Basking spot

28–30 °C (weak, spot-sized warm place)

Humidity

65–85 % (one area permanently damp, good ventilation)

UVB

UVB not essential (crepuscular/nocturnal, a forest-floor dweller)

Enclosure

Minimum size

120×60×60 cm

Substrate

Damp woodland substrate (coco humus, forest soil, leaf litter), one zone permanently damp and one drier

Feeding

Food

Rodents (mice or rats), occasionally amphibians

Feeding interval

adults 1× every 10–14 days, juveniles 1× every 7 days

Key facts

Adult size

60–90 cm, rarely up to 120 cm; very heavily built

Life expectancy

10–15 years

Origin

West and Central Africa – rainforest and swamps

Protection status

Highly venomous (haemo-/cytotoxic) - not CITES-listed; keeping it requires a permit or notification, or is banned outright, depending on the German state.

Brumation

None (an equatorial species); at most a slight seasonal drop in temperature

Cohabitation

Keep them singly – solitary, to avoid stress; put them together only briefly for supervised breeding

Notes

A critical keeping mistake: a high temperature combined with high humidity and poor ventilation is often fatal – better to keep it cool (max. about 28 °C) and well ventilated. Subdued light, and it prefers dark hides. A large shallow water basin.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) – Expert
• Horned adder (Bitis caudalis) – Expert
• Puff adder (Bitis arietans) – Expert
• West African gaboon viper (Bitis rhinoceros) – Expert
• Peringuey's adder (Bitis peringueyi) – 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 Rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (120×60×60 cm), substrate (Damp woodland substrate (coco humus, forest soil, leaf litter), one zone permanently damp and one drier), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.