>>We bought a what the seller said was a bush viper and appeares to be a Atheris chloroechis and we are getting several diff, info on how this snake should be kept. One method told to us and reading in Snakes Enc. said to keep fairly warm in the lower 80ties and some humidity. The other method that we were told was real humid and moss with ventilation. What would you all suggest as far as humidity ( damp, having damp enough to have condensation , less damp ) and what about the moss. Would you think that spagnum would be okay and then would you suggest organic? Or how about a product picked up at Wally-World called green moss and the package says all natural and is used for decorate soil cover moss from a company called Schultz. Also we wre wondering about light? If this species prefers non-direct light or dim light or a situation of darkness. We are asking these questions because of the uncertainess of diff. info in some of the books.

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>>M Chambers



I wouldn't make the enclosure have enough humidity to create condensation, as even humid loving snakes will sometimes suffer water blisters if exposed to too much moisture. I've kept A. chlorechis and A. squamigera successfully under the following circumstances: day time temp of around 85, nighttime drop nearing 80; substrate of that same War-Mart green moss you spoke of or of any humidity-holding substance, with numerous branches for climbing; I never kept them in incredibly large enclosures as they tend to hang about in one general area most of the time; the snakes were sprayed daily as they'd seem to "drink" most readily in this manner. When I sprayed them I would just lightly spray their bodies and the branches around them, nothing too very heavy, but enough to create accessible droplets. A water bowl should also be provided so that the snake has access to water at any time it wishes. They are nocturnal snakes, so during the day I never kept any direct light on them. The only light they received is what filtered in through the window (which is always uncovered to allow for some natural cycling to happen), and from the lights on other animals' enclosures. They would always stay in the same spot during the day, and the only movement I would ever see would be at night. Not to a question you didn't ask but I want to answer it anyway, my snakes fed either off of hemos (if they would take f/t) or I would just place a large live fuzzy mouse in the enclosure at night and they would take it from there. That being said...I've more than once had an arboreal viper take a swing at my hand rather than the mouse dangling on the end of the hemos, and they have incredible strike ranges. I used a pair of 18" hemos, and even at that, a 1' or 1.5' Atheris can come a little too close for comfort. Always be on your guard working around them, as they can be quite deceiving. Anyway, these are the methods that have worked in the past for me. That being said, I don't make a habit of keeping arboreal viperids (mostly elapids here), so there are hopefully others on this forum that will respond as well.

-Chance

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