Western whip snake (Hierophis viridiflavus)

Short answers

Western whip snake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

150×70×70 cm.

Western whip snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–31 °C, basking spot 38 °C, at night 14–18 °C.

Western whip snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Western whip snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 12–18 years.

Western whip snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–31 °C

Night temperature

14–18 °C

Basking spot

38 °C

Humidity

45–60 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

150×70×70 cm

Substrate

Sand-loam with stones, a cork hide, climbing branches, a water dish

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice, lizard substitute food

Feeding interval

1×/week

Key facts

Adult size

120–180 cm

Life expectancy

12–18 years

Origin

France, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia

Protection status

Protected (Habitats Directive Annex IV) – only captive-bred animals with proof of origin

Brumation

A winter rest of 12–16 weeks at 5–10 °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

An extremely fast, diurnal hunting snake with a strong urge to move – it needs markedly more floor area than a corn snake. Very quick to bite, but non-venomous. A genuine winter rest is essential.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Common egg-eating snake (Dasypeltis scabra) – Intermediate
• African house snake (Boaedon fuliginosus) – Beginner
• False water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas) – Experts
• Spotted house snake (Boaedon maculatus) – Beginner
• Striped house snake (Boaedon lineatus) – Beginner
• Smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis) – Expert
• Rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus) – Intermediate
• Oriental vine snake (Ahaetulla prasina) – Experts

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Western whip snake (Hierophis viridiflavus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (150×70×70 cm), substrate (Sand-loam with stones, a cork hide, climbing branches, a water dish), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.