Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Snakes exotic to South Africa with venoms that are considered to be medically important.

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Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Pythonodipsas » Wed Jan 28, 2015 9:56 am

Hi All,

It seems like ages since I posted in the forum!

About 8 years ago I got what was sold to me as a pair of Levant Blunt-nosed vipers (Macrovipera lebetina obtusa). I raised them, hibernated them and nothing ever happened.

Then I eventually probed them and it turned out to be 2 females! DAMN.

Luckily I sourced a male in 2013 that came with a female. This male proved to be a stud and after hibernation mated with all 3 females.

The first mating was with one of my original females on the 8th of October 2014. Then the male mated with the female he came with on the 11 October 2014 and finally mated with my other 'biggest female on the 23rd of October.

The first female gave me 21 healthy looking eggs on the 21st of December 2014 which started hatching on 26 January 2015 - so far 19 babies have hatched and all look perfect.

The second female gave me 17 good eggs on 23rd of December 2014.

The 3rd female obviously got the dregs of the males sperm because she laid mainly slugs and I only have one good egg from her.

Below are pics of the 3 females being mated and then eggs and hatching of the first clutch. And finally close up pics of adults to show how beautiful they are.

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STATS:
Female #1.
Mated: 8 Oct 2014
Laid Eggs: 21 Dec 2014 (74 days)
Amount Eggs: 21
Eggs Hatched: 26 Jan (36 days)

Female #2.
Mated: 11 Oct 2014
Laid Eggs: 23 Dec 2014 (73 days)
Amount Eggs: 17
Eggs Hatched: not hatched yet

Female #3.
Mated: 23 Oct 2014
Laid Eggs: 26 Dec 2014 (64 days)
Amount Eggs: About 12 slugs and 1 viable egg
Eggs Hatched: not hatched yet
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Mitton » Wed Jan 28, 2015 10:03 am

Hey bud, huge congrats. Beautiful babies.
Weird when you say vipers hatching.
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Westley Price » Wed Jan 28, 2015 10:13 am

Those are some stunners. Very weird looking vipers.

Are the nostrils shaped that way to prevent sand getting in or what?

Congrats.
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Pythonodipsas » Wed Jan 28, 2015 10:23 am

Thanks Mitton and Westley!

Westley puff-adders have similar nostrils in a way so your guess is as good as mine. :)
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Ruan Stander » Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:06 am

Congratulations, this is just phenomenal and the snakes are stunning.
Was each female only mated once or were those the only matings that you witnessed ?
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Pythonodipsas » Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:11 am

Thanks predator678 - I did not witness any more mating but there could have been as the male was still 'jiggy' after mating with each female.

Each time I left the male with each female for a few days after the original mating.
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Ruan Stander » Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:14 am

I see.
How long did you hibernate them and at what temperatures ?

Please keep us updated on the other clutches and all the hatchlings' progress. :)
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Pythonodipsas » Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:22 am

I hibernated them for 3 months, of which 2 of those months were down to 7 degrees centigrade.

I will add updates on the other clutches and babies to this post.
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby moe » Wed Jan 28, 2015 4:15 pm

Congratulations bud

Vipers like these get me excited nice to see them successfully mated and the eggs hatched

Big big ups.... Keep it up i need more vipers haha
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Bushviper » Thu Jan 29, 2015 12:43 pm

Just do not take a bite from one of these. I have seen the results and it is not funny. I am sure you give them the respect they deserve and I hope whoever buys babies does the same.
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Re: Levant Blunt-nosed viper breeding

Postby Amphibian » Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:27 pm

Great result mate. So refreshing to see some nice vipers being bred.
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