Question about keeping Naja nivea

by **vierfleck** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:53 pm

Hello,

we have a pair of Naja nivea, 1,5 years old. We plan to put them together in a new viv.
Is this viv ok for 2 niveas?

Next Question: Can we put the 2 together,without losing a snake?Or should we put both together only for breeding,when they are adult?

Thank you for your help

regards

Matthias

by **Bushviper** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:26 pm

Naja nivea are the sort of snakes that will eat almost anything that moves. Here we can take those sorts of chances but you cannot replace a Cape cobra so easily. One mistake when there is food in the cage and you will only have one fat snake left.

The cage is great for Cape cobras although it does not have to be so high. I would keep each one in a cage of that sort of size, and then just put them together for mating.

I would also use soil for a substrate instead of sand. If they eat some it goes through the system a lot easier.

by **Pythonodipsas** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:23 pm

That cage is great! I would love to see it when finished.

I must agree with BV that it is kind of unnecessarily high though. You could get a away with half that height

If I was gonna keep cape cobras together I would want to watch them closely and be a bit worried.

I keep all my cobras separate anyway for ease of feeding. Its a nightmare trying to seperate 2 big hungry cobras off one rodent.

by **Mongoose** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:05 am

Lovely cage, but as pythonodipsas ad Bv said, one will eat the other!

by **vierfleck** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:10 am

Hello to all,

thank you for the advices.

Here in Karlsruhe i know 2 guys,who keep their niveas together.Are the just lucky guys,not losing a snake, or just experienced?

We will keep them separated,i will post a pic when the viv is ready.

I´m glad that i found this forum here,i like it very much!

How do you have to spent for a nivea in SA? I paid 80€ for 1 youngster.

regards

Matthias

by **Bushviper** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:32 am

I have seen 30 Naja nivea all kept in one cage many years ago at a snake park in Cape Town which I think has closed down by now. I also have 3 in one cage at the moment so they are not extremely cannibalistic but it does happen.

80€ for 1 youngster is a good price. I have seen N. nivea go for anything from $150 up to $400 in the US and once someone in Germany paid me DM150 each for babies back in 1989.

The colour of Cape cobras usually determines the price. The brown ones are the cheapest and the bright yellow ones are usually the most expensive.

Locally the trade is illegal through most of the country but where it is legal they can cost from R200 to R500 each. (That is about 20 to 50 Euros) Usually these are wild caught but this does not matter too much.

by **Mongoose** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:05 pm

To me, it costs a day active searching around my house... :lol:

by **bigred** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:35 am

Hi. Sorry to come in so late, been away in Kuruman. I've been keeping niveas for quite a while now, and have found that they need slightly more specific requirements than say, snouteds. I keep 6 together, 4 females, 2 males, ranging in size from 1.6m to 1.92m.
If I introduce anything under 1m into there, it becomes prey.
Cage is OK, a bit high perhaps, and you definitely need a hidey, preferably near the ground. If they start rubbing their noses, the cage is too small.
My cage is 2mx3m.