Breeding tips for Naja, Hemachatus

[Ryan Steele]

Hey all,

This is my 1st post here so I will provide a little background. I have been keeping venomous reptiles for 10 years, mainly Bitis species with some arboreal pitvipers mixed in. I am currently a keeper at the Dallas Zoo and I now have the pleasure of keeping a variety of Naja and Hemachatus. We have good breeding groups of nivea, nigricincta, haemachatus and I just wanted a little help with getting them to breed. Everyone is kept in 3x2x1 cages with multiple hideboxes and at least a 95w basking spot. We just began feeding smaller prey items twice a week. So far we have just been doing introductions of 3-4 days then seperating for feeding. Any tips from the pros would be great. Thanks in advance for your time.

[Carpetpythons]

Have you got any locality data available for the animals in your care?

[Ryan Steele]

I'll check into it and see what I can come up with. I dont think we have any locality data though.

[Bushviper]

The nivea and nigricincta are bred far more often than the Haemachatus. Try to get a thesis done by Dr Graham Alexander on temperatures in Rinkhals over a winter period. If you can replicate that then you will be better off than normal hibernation prosedures.

On this forum Pythonadipsas breeds nigricincta quite regularly so I am sure when he sees this he can help you. The niveas are also bred regularly and they need a pretty cold winter across most of their range.

I am sure you will be able to give advice if we ever get P. anchietae and need to breed them?