Rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus)

Short answers

Rinkhals: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 150×115×115 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, rinkhals).

Rinkhals: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–29 °C, basking spot 32–34 °C, at night 16–20 °C.

Rinkhals: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended.

Rinkhals: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 20+ years.

Rinkhals: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–29 °C

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

32–34 °C

Humidity

50–65 %

UVB

UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 150×115×115 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, rinkhals)

Substrate

Soil and sand with grass structure, hides

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice, amphibian substitutes

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

90–150 cm

Life expectancy

20+ years

Origin

South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe – highlands and grassland

Protection status

VENOMOUS – a spitting cobra; a dangerous animal under German state law

Brumation

A cooler rest of 8–10 weeks at 12–16 °C

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

It spits and rears up, and under strong threat it also plays dead. A highland species – to be kept cooler than the tropical cobras, with a genuine cool resting phase.

Do you keep this species?

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

Look for Rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) 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 Rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 150×115×115 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, rinkhals)), substrate (Soil and sand with grass structure, hides), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.