A Complete Analysis of Viper Rearing Techniques and Methods

The viper, also known as the "earth snake," is a small venomous snake distributed throughout China. Besides being eaten, it has high medicinal value. Its breeding stock is easy to obtain, and the rearing method is not difficult, making it a new type of breeding industry for people to get rich.

1. Development and utilization

Some precious medicines produced using the viper as a raw material can cure many difficult and complicated diseases. At present, the ways in which domestic scientific research institutions develop and apply it include: (1) Viper venom is a raw material for producing highly effective antithrombotic drugs. (2) Dried snake has the effects of dispelling wind, calming, detoxifying, relieving pain, strengthening the body, and promoting lactation.

Therefore, carrying out artificial breeding of the viper has relatively high economic value. Pure dried viper venom powder is 20 times the price of gold on the international market, and its price per gram in China exceeds 1000 yuan.

2. Living habits

The viper's body length is 60-70 cm, and its head is slightly triangular. The back is grayish brown to brown, with a dark "^"-shaped patch on the top of the head, and the ventral side is grayish white to grayish brown, mixed with black spots. It usually moves slowly, and when disturbed, the tip of its tail quivers. It often inhabits plains, hills, low mountain areas, or field stream ditches under piles of rubble or in grass, curled into a coil or wavy shape. It preys on mice, frogs, lizards, birds, insects, and so on. The viper's reproduction, feeding, and activity are all restricted by temperature. Below 10°C, the viper almost does not prey; below 5°C, it enters hibernation; 20°C-25°C is the peak preying period; above 30°C, it burrows into snake holes to rest and generally does not prey. It is frequently active at night, and after spring warms up, it successively emerges to look for food.

3. Breeding methods

Young snakes reach sexual maturity in 2-3 years and can then reproduce. The viper's mode of reproduction differs from that of most snakes: it is ovoviviparous. Viper embryos develop inside the female snake, and the young snakes born can live independently. In this reproductive mode, the embryos can be protected by the mother, so the survival rate is high, which is advantageous for artificial breeding. The breeding period is from May to September each year, and each female can produce 2-8 young snakes. Newborn young snakes have a body length of 14-19 cm and a body weight of 21-32 grams. Newborn young snakes shed their skin 1-2 times that same year and then enter hibernation.

4. Rearing techniques

1. Setting up the breeding site: The viper breeding site should be built according to the number being raised. For rearing density, generally no more than 5 snakes per sq m. There is jar rearing, indoor rearing, and outdoor site rearing. For a small number, jar rearing can be used, and the jar mouth needs a breathable lid. The general requirements for indoor rearing and site rearing are safety, escape prevention, and harm prevention. The ground and walls should be smoothed with water-mixed plaster to prevent mice from digging holes and snakes from drilling holes and escaping.

2. Feeding management: The viper's metabolism is slow. After eating its fill, it may not eat food for several days, or even dozens of days, and will not starve to death, but drinking water must be provided. The viper is a carnivorous animal and mainly feeds on small animals. Fish, frogs, mice, insects, pieces of meat, and bird, chicken, and duck eggs, etc., can be put into the rearing site for the viper to swallow at any time. Insect-attracting lamps can also be set up in the rearing site to attract insects for the snakes to prey on. The viper's teeth have no chewing ability, and food is swallowed whole into the stomach, where it is digested by gastric juice with very strong digestive capacity. The rearing site should be kept clean and sanitary, cleaned promptly, and diseased snakes and dead snakes removed. The drinking water in the pool should be changed frequently. It is best for the keeper to have received training, and strictly prevent vipers from injuring people (snakebite medicine should be prepared).

3. Overwintering protection: Protecting vipers through the winter is very important. No matter what method is adopted, mouse damage must be strictly prevented, and the temperature of the overwintering site must be checked frequently to prevent snakes from freezing. Before hibernation, sufficient food should be provided to increase the snakes' nutritional reserves and create good conditions for safe overwintering. The following methods can be used to protect vipers through the winter safely. (1) Sand container overwintering method. Spread a layer of fine sand 20 cm thick in a wooden box. Place a layer of hibernating vipers on the sand, then spread another 20 cm of fine sand, then place another layer of snakes, and repeat this until the wooden box is full and covered. Then place the wooden box in a cellar at 0°C-2°C. When spring warms up the following year, move the snake box into the breeding site and let the snakes crawl out. (2) Drilling holes and building nests for overwintering method. In the rearing site, use an iron rod to drill deep holes for the vipers to crawl into for overwintering, then cover the hole openings with 20 cm of soil. When spring warms up the following year, remove the covering soil and let the snakes crawl out naturally. (3) Digging pits and piling stones for overwintering method. In the rearing site, dig a pit 1.5-2 m deep, pile rubble, weeds, and so on inside, and after the snakes crawl into the stone crevices to hibernate, cover with 20 cm of soil. After spring warms up, remove the covering soil, and the snakes will crawl out naturally.

5. Collection of snake venom

To protect venomous snake resources, it is advisable to collect venom from live snakes. Here is an introduction to the self-biting venom collection method. In this method, hold the snake's neck with the left hand, and with the right hand insert a venom container into the snake's mouth, causing the snake, out of instinct, to bite the venom container hard, prompting it to release venom. Newly collected snake venom should immediately be dried with a vacuum dryer so that its water content does not exceed 5%, to prevent the snake venom from spoiling and deteriorating. The dried venom powder can be tightly wrapped in black paper or tin foil and stored in a dry place for sale. Viper venom should not be collected too frequently; once a month is appropriate. It can be collected 6-7 times a year, and venom cannot be collected during hibernation. When collecting venom, strictly prevent the venomous snake from injuring people. Once injury occurs, emergency self-rescue measures should be taken immediately, and as soon as possible go to a hospital at or above the county level to inject viper antivenom serum to ensure safety.