West African carpet viper (Echis ocellatus)

Short answers

West African carpet viper: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×50×50 cm.

West African carpet viper: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–32 °C, basking spot 35–38 °C, at night 21–24 °C.

West African carpet viper: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended.

West African carpet viper: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 8–12 years.

West African carpet viper: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–32 °C

Night temperature

21–24 °C

Basking spot

35–38 °C

Humidity

40–55 % (more humid than the Asian species)

UVB

UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×50×50 cm

Substrate

A sand-loam mix with leaf litter and hides

Feeding

Food

Small frozen-thawed mice

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

40–65 cm

Life expectancy

8–12 years

Origin

West Africa (the Sahel and dry savannah)

Protection status

VENOMOUS – causes most of the fatal snakebites in West Africa; a dangerous animal, requiring a permit or notification depending on the German state

Brumation

No pronounced rest period; recreate the shift between dry and rainy seasons

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

Medically the most significant snake in West Africa. To be kept a little more humid than the desert forms, otherwise the same behaviour: very fast, very quick to bite.

Do you keep this species?

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

Look for West African carpet viper (Echis ocellatus) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Egyptian saw-scaled viper (Echis pyramidum) – Expert
• Painted saw-scaled viper (Echis coloratus) – Expert
• Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) – Expert
• Sochurek's saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus sochureki) – 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 West African carpet viper (Echis ocellatus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×50×50 cm), substrate (A sand-loam mix with leaf litter and 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.