# Atheris hispida, in depth info needed.



## Piraya1 (Feb 26, 2007)

I have been googling obsessively about this species for a long time and still haven't found exactly what I'm looking for.

I want to know everything.
I want to see all documents and reports on every research done on this species.
And who is known to have worked with this species the most and what has been learned.

I want to see pictures of their populated location in the wild, where exactly have they been seen and caught, plant life in their surroundings, it's density, and the water sources and how much water do they have access to?
All varieties of food available to this species, every single possible prey item from our normal mice to the indigenous inverts, lizards, amphibians, worms and leeches.

What is their lifespan in the wild? What do the juveniles eat?
What food items carry what parasites and what is used to medicate animals with the parasites.

That's it really, don't think I've anymore questions for now.
I wish there'd be an atheris hispida manual book out there.

I hope someone can help me put all the pieces together and someday crack the code that works for this snake in captivity.

Regards
Rob


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

dont want much do you:lol2:


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

Rob you seem to like a challange!:lol2:


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

This is the only thing I can think of that might help. There appears to be very little available regarding keeping Atheris in general

Venomous Snakes of Africa: Giftschlangen Afrikas: Amazon.co.uk: M. Dobiey, G. Vogel: Books


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## RMG (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi Rob,

a huge number of those questions are still unanswered so off to Central African with you to find out! 

you should send Robert Meidinger from the World of Snakes, Costa Rica an email.
..:. World of Snakes Costa Rica .:...

He's keeps/kept adult _hispida_ successfully and has also bred and raised juvies there in the past.

Cheers,
Rob


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## Piraya1 (Feb 26, 2007)

Thanks for that!: victory:
I'm googling inverts of tanzania, worms of tanzania, congo, small lizards of the area and the plant life, If only I had the time and money to camp out there I would.


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## mangotango (Jul 7, 2008)

wikipedia lists a few books on the species they might help 

Atheris hispida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I know wikis crap but the books they list may be of some use.


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## Piraya1 (Feb 26, 2007)

Reading that reed frogs seem to be a stable diet, they also seem to be questionable if they are poisonous or not. Does this affect the ingestion of this frog by hispida? Or is it not proven for reed frogs to have poisonous glands?


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## Piraya1 (Feb 26, 2007)

How likely is it for hispida to catch aquatic prey like tadpoles, worms, leeches, small fish, salamanders and the sort??


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## paulibabes (Jan 6, 2008)

Piraya1 said:


> Reading that reed frogs seem to be a stable diet, they also seem to be questionable if they are poisonous or not. Does this affect the ingestion of this frog by hispida? Or is it not proven for reed frogs to have poisonous glands?



I guess if the frogs eat toxic vegetation then this could make the snake venomous..?

I heard that they are venomous, not sure how badly but there is no anti venom produced from the milking of them yet to the best of my knowledge. They are a VERY VERY stunning species mind!


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

paulibabes said:


> I guess if the frogs eat toxic vegetation then this could make the snake venomous..?
> 
> I heard that they are venomous, not sure how badly but there is no anti venom produced from the milking of them yet to the best of my knowledge. They are a VERY VERY stunning species mind!


They are not venomous because they eat a few frogs and i know that there is no anti venom for Atheris squamigera so i would imagine this would be true for A.hispida.


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## Piraya1 (Feb 26, 2007)

I think the question was are the frogs themselves poisonous.

Hispida and many others in the family have no anti venom and thats a whopping 14-15 subspecies of the atheris genus, however echis serum seems to be of success but not until an actual monovalent serum is made. 
Maybe in the future with more peoples success of keeping hispida and breeding in captivity and knowledge gets passed on there may be individuals of the genus donated to facilities that produce anti venom. Before the use of echis serum everything else was a gamble for treating bites and still is, also is the keeping of the snakes, a person puts themselves at risk each time they deal with a venomous snake, the right decisions keeps you alive.
The easiest decision would be to stay away and leave natures animals be but where would we be if no work got done? We would still be as clueless about them as the day they were found.


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## Agkistrodon (Dec 12, 2008)

I used to keep A. squamigera with success, not sure if they're found in a similar range at all but I might be able to give some help?

EDIT: This book may be an interesting read on the subject, I've always found it handy: Barrons POM Vipers - Snake Book: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

Then there's also "Venomous snakes in the terrarium" by Ludwig Trutnau, but then that carries a hefty price tag and only has a few columns on Hispida - then again it basically documents every venomous species so it's not as if it's useless.


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

Agkistrodon said:


> I used to keep A. squamigera with success, not sure if they're found in a similar range at all but I might be able to give some help?
> 
> EDIT: This book may be an interesting read on the subject, I've always found it handy: Barrons POM Vipers - Snake Book: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home
> 
> Then there's also "Venomous snakes in the terrarium" by Ludwig Trutnau, but then that carries a hefty price tag and only has a few columns on Hispida - then again it basically documents every venomous species so it's not as if it's useless.


 I have the Barons Viper book its a good book aimed at captive keeping of the animals


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## Agkistrodon (Dec 12, 2008)

I've just realised something...why the hell is that book listed on Amazon as "kitchen and home"...lol.


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