What does the Gaboon viper eat?
They eat small and medium-sized mammals and birds. Gaboon vipers are passive hunters, waiting concealed to strike at whatever small creatures pass within range. Most snakes strike and release, but this viper holds on until its prey dies. Gaboon vipers have a placid nature and very rarely bite humans.
What are gaboon vipers predators?
There are no known predators of gaboon vipers. They are cryptically colored, blending in well with leaf litter on the forest floor, perhaps to hide from potential prey.
Can a Gaboon viper kill an elephant?
The fangs are so big that, after striking, the viper swings them up into the roof of its mouth and then has to work its jaws around to get them back into place. To compliment the fangs, the Gaboon viper also has the largest venom supply of any snake including the king cobra, which has enough to kill an Indian elephant.
Why are gaboon vipers fat?
Gaboon viper facts: Their fangs are some two inches, the longest fangs of any venomous snake. They stretch four to seven feet long and weigh 18 to 25 pounds. They use their heavy weight to help them strike prey.
Has anyone survived a Gaboon viper?
Marlin Perkins, who was the host of television’s ”Wild Kingdom” program for many years and who died in 1986, was one person who survived a bite by a Gaboon viper. The adult viper is typically only four feet long, a stumpy creature with a beautiful tapestry pattern on its skin.
How aggressive is the Gaboon viper?
They are seldom aggressive, but their strike is swift and the bite is extremely serious. Unlike most vipers, Gaboons do not release the prey after the strike. They hold until it dies.
How poisonous is a Gaboon viper?
Like all vipers, it is venomous. It is the largest member of the genus Bitis, and it has the longest fangs of any venomous snake – up to 2 inches (5 cm) in length – and the second-highest venom yield of any snake after the king cobra….
| Gaboon viper | |
|---|---|
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Bitis |
How often should you feed a Gaboon viper?
Gaboon vipers can live in any tank meant for an approximately six-foot reptile. The enclosure should include a “soaking bowl” for the snake, filled with room-temperature water, and its floor should be covered in soil. The reptile house should be extremely humid. Gaboon vipers should be fed once or twice a week.
Is it possible to get bitten by a Gaboon viper?
Don’t worry: Your chances of being bitten by a Gaboon viper are extremely slim. These are sluggish snakes, often reluctant to move at all. They sometimes lash out when directly stepped on, but even then, a bite is not guaranteed. Still, it’s probably unwise to let your guard down around a Gaboon.
What kind of habitat does a Gaboon viper live in?
Gaboon vipers are sometimes confused with their close relatives, Bitis arietans (more commonly known as African puff adders). As a rule of thumb, if the snake is found in open country, it’s not a Gaboon. Gaboons thrive in thick, wet habitats.
Is the Gaboon viper on the IUCN Red List?
When the animal stops moving, the Gaboon will start to eat. Gaboon vipers are not yet listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, but they might be considered endangered very soon. Young Gaboons can be overpowered by large birds and wild cats, but mature Gaboons have very few predators.