Pit Viper Breeding Techniques: Site Construction and Management Methods

1. Construction of the Breeding Facility

The viper @#@246@#@ facility should be built in a location far from residential housing, quiet, sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, on higher ground, with a water source and convenient transportation. The area of the snake facility depends on the number of snakes being raised. A wall should be built around the perimeter, with a height of 2-2.5 m, and the corners of the wall should be built in a rounded arc shape. The base of the wall should extend 1.5 m underground, and the 1.5 m deep soil layer should be firmly built with lime-sand-clay mixture to prevent rats from burrowing and to prevent the snakes from escaping. Within the snake facility, a ditch with an area of 4 sq m and a depth of 30 cm should be set up, with fresh water quality, for the snakes to drink and bathe in.

2. Feeding and Management

The stocking density of vipers should not be too high, to prevent competition for food and to avoid affecting their growth, development and reproduction. The artificial stocking density should be adjusted according to the different developmental stages and physiological periods of the vipers: no more than 5 adult snakes per sq m; 1 snake per sq m for female snakes during the egg-bearing period; and generally no more than 10 per sq m during the rearing period. Newly hatched young snakes should be no more than 50 per sq m.

The amount of feed placed each time during artificial rearing can be determined by the number of snakes being raised. Live rats, frogs, @#@236@#@ and @#@237@#@, etc. should be placed at regular times (fresh fish and frogs can serve as supplementary feed). One snake only needs to be fed 1 swamp eel or 2-3 loaches per week; when hungry, the snakes will automatically prey on the live fish, frogs, etc. raised in the pond. In early May, after the vipers emerge from hibernation, and in November, before they enter hibernation, they all need large amounts of nutrients to replenish their bodies. During this period, they should be fed as much and as fully as possible; this is the key to raising snakes well. The food fed must be clean and uncontaminated. Swamp eels, loaches and small fish that carry pathogens or were caught using pesticides must never be fed, to avoid poisoning and illness. Because the diet of raised snakes is monotonous, or when they are severely starved or lacking certain nutrients in their bodies, large snakes often swallow small snakes. The food fed to snakes is required to be fresh, live, varied and sufficient, and is generally fed twice a week; at other times they can be fed less, and during the hibernation season they are not fed. When feeding, the feed should be placed in the evening, that is, just before the snakes come out of their holes to be active, so that as soon as the snakes emerge they can immediately catch the food.

At the same time, the temperature must be well controlled. The activity-site temperature range for vipers is 14-35°C, the most suitable temperature is 20-30°C, and the overwintering temperature is 10-14°C. In severe cold seasons, attention must be paid to keeping warm. If the temperature is too low, in addition to covering with rice straw and nylon film, a 250-watt infrared bulb or black bulb can be hung inside the box, or an electric heater can be used to control the temperature at 10-14°C. Open-flame heating must not be used for winter warmth, and care should be taken to keep the soil moisture in the snake nest at about 10%. When the ambient temperature in summer reaches as high as 40°C, the snakes are at risk of being killed by the heat. At this time, measures should be taken to cool them down, such as building leaf cover or a shade canopy over the snake facility, or sprinkling cool water over the snake facility, or pouring well water into the water pond, etc.

In addition, the cleanliness and hygiene of the snake facility environment must be maintained. The snake facility should be cleaned frequently, residual food and feces should be removed promptly, and the bedding in the snake nest should be replaced regularly to prevent snake diseases. Normally, attention should be paid to observing the health of the snakes. If diseased snakes with abnormal activity or difficulty crawling are found, they should be isolated, raised and treated promptly. In addition, attention should also be paid to preventing harm from natural enemies.