Key Technical Points for the Management of Artificial Breeding of Pit Vipers

The pit viper is a type of venomous snake, mostly inhabiting mountainous areas or plains, often coiling into a disc shape or twisting into a wavy form. Every part of it is valuable: the skin, bones, gallbladder, fat and shed skin can all be used as medicine, the venom is especially expensive, and the meat is also a delicious dish on the table. Artificially breeding pit vipers is a fairly profitable money-making project. Its breeding techniques are introduced as follows:

1. Construction of the snake enclosure. The snake enclosure should generally face south, with a certain slope toward the south to prevent water accumulation after rain. The size of the site can be determined according to the number being raised. The surrounding wall should be of brick and stone construction, generally 2.5-3 m high, and the inner side of the wall should be smoothed with cement to prevent the snakes from climbing and escaping. The base of the wall should extend 1-1.5 m underground and be poured with cement to prevent rats from burrowing. Plant some small trees that do not easily grow tall inside the enclosure for the snakes to climb and for shade. The stocking density is generally 3-5 snakes per square meter. 2. Breeding method. The reproduction, feeding and activity of pit vipers are all affected by temperature; the optimum temperature is 20-30°C, below 10°C they move little, and below 5°C they enter hibernation. May to October each year is the active season. The humidity requirement is above 55%. Pit vipers are frequently active at night, and before and after hibernation they seek large amounts of food. After the warmth of spring they emerge from their holes one after another to seek food and to mate. Most of them come into heat and mate after emerging from dormancy and before dormancy. At the base of the tail of the pit viper there is a kind of gland that gives off a strong odor during the reproductive season; the male snake uses this to find the female snake. After chasing and stimulation, the two snakes twist tightly together in a "fried dough twist" shape, with their cloacal openings pressed closely together. One male snake can mate with and fertilize multiple female snakes, so the number of male snakes can be appropriately reduced when breeding. After mating, however, the female snake will no longer mate with other male snakes. The breeding method of the pit viper differs from that of other snakes in that it is ovoviviparous. It reproduces once a year from July to August, giving birth to 2-8 young each time. After being born, the young snakes can live independently. Newborn young snakes shed their skin 1-2 times in that year, and afterward shed periodically as the body grows. 3. Feeding method. The pit viper has a slow metabolism; after eating its fill it may not eat for several days or even dozens of days without starving to death, but the supply of water must not be cut off. The pit viper eats meat; artificial feeding is mainly with live mice, frogs, loaches, eels, insects, fish, birds, etc., and pieces of meat and chicken, duck and goose eggs can also be placed in the breeding site. Some frogs can be raised in the enclosure for the pit vipers to swallow at any time. Generally, feed 2-3 times a month. When there is a shortage of feed or when they need to eat their fill before winter, fine meat can be force-fed as a supplement. During the active period, the monthly food intake of a pit viper must reach at least its own body weight. In raising pit vipers, the key is to do a good job of overwintering protection, and the following methods can be used: 1. Container method: use a wooden box, spread a layer of fine sand, place the dormant pit vipers on top, then cover with another layer of fine sand, and then place it in a cellar at 0-2°C, to be moved back to the snake enclosure when spring is warm. 2. Drilling method: drill deep holes in the breeding site, and after the pit vipers enter the holes for overwintering, cover the openings with about 20 cm of soil. 3. Pit-mound method: dig pits about 1.5 m deep, pile rubble, dry grass, etc. inside the pits, and after the snakes crawl in, cover with 20 cm of fine soil. After spring is warm, remove the covering soil so the snakes can crawl out naturally. In addition, rats must be strictly prevented from biting and eating the pit vipers. The main methods of artificially breeding pit vipers are snake-box breeding, snake-enclosure breeding and captive rearing in fenced natural areas; breeders can choose the breeding method according to actual circumstances and conditions. During the feeding process, the snake enclosure should be cleaned frequently to remove animal carcasses, residues and other debris. If snakes with disease are found, they should be treated promptly or culled. Attention should be paid to preventing the natural enemies of snakes from entering the snake enclosure. Snakebite first-aid medicine should be kept on hand year-round to prevent bites; once bitten by a pit viper, pit viper antivenom serum should be injected immediately, and the victim should be quickly escorted to a hospital to prevent accidents. 4. Collection of snake venom. There are two collection methods: one is the bite-and-bleed collection, that is, hold the snake's neck with one hand, let the snake body lie naturally on the worktable so that it cannot twist, and with the other hand put the venom-collecting tool into the snake's mouth and let it bite the tool, so the venom drips from the fangs; the other is the bite-membrane dish, that is, use two sizes of glass dishes with handles, the handle tube of the larger one being connected to the dish so as to hold the venom collected from multiple snakes at the same time. A plastic film is tied over the mouth of the dish, and the dish is put into the snake's mouth. The snake will bite through the film and drip venom into the dish, and once the snake releases its bite, the glass dish is taken out. After the venom is collected, it should immediately be processed with a vacuum desiccator. The dried venom should be sealed against moisture and protected from light.