The Black Mamba: Some insight into

Africa's most notorious serpent.

By Joe Switalski and Martin Smit

Range:

Dendroaspis polylepis has a very widespread range in Africa, in which it hails from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Botswana, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zaire. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats that include open savannahs, open woodlands, and rocky outcrops. It has been noted they will take shelter in termite mounds, tree hollows, and mammal burrows, as well as some unsuspecting locals' homes.

Description:

This is a long, slender elapid, which grows to an average size of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet). Specimens that are in the 10-12 foot range are not uncommon at all, and the record for Dendroaspis polylepis is 4.5 meters (14.4 feet). The dorsal coloration ranges from an olive brown to gunmetal gray, which is more commonly seen in specimens from South Africa. The most commonly known aspect is the “coffin shaped” head that this species possesses. This snake receives its name from the coloration inside the mouth, not from the body color.

Captive Notes:

Out of all the elapids, Dendroaspis polylepis is a very rewarding species to maintain in captivity and by far, my favorite out of the elapidae family. The one thing about Dendroaspis polylepis is its highly variable demeanor. Some specimens are very calm, and will get flighty only if you disturb them in a rough manner. These can be handled with relative safety, until something spooks them or sets them off. On the other hand, you will have specimens that will be extremely jumpy and will explode with a force that is second to none. Their speed is often too fast for a reaction, which makes handling such flighty specimens, a completely different story. The most obvious warning is a gape of the mouth, and then a quick advance at their perceived threat.

Some keepers have noted differences in behavior between animals that were wild caught and those that were captive bred. Captive bred Dendroaspis polylepis seem more tolerant of humans being around them as opposed to wild caught specimens. When housing a newly wild caught Dendroaspis polylepis, keep interactions with the snake to a bare minimum. It's not a good idea to handle such an animal. Give it time to settle down. When you enter the snake room and it doesn't flatten its neck and gape at you, but rather remains in the basking spot, it's fairly settled. Wild caught Dendroaspis polylepis are nothing like the captives you see in a zoo. They are still the “monster” snake that is feared across Africa. They will attack with very little provocation, simply because it has no place to flee to. Wild Dendroaspis polylepis very rarely allow a close approach in the bush, so being in close quarters with humans will result in great agitation. They tend to grow accustomed to human interaction over time though, as they learn that the keeper poses no threat; hence they become less uneasy in our presence. I have also seen the opposite, as in my case, my wild caught juvenile Dendroaspis polylepis are extremely calm, compared to my adult captive born and bred female, which is very aggressive and will become agitated at the slightest annoyance. It is very interesting to see how each snake will vary in terms of personality and behavior.

Caging is by far the most important aspect when maintaining this species in captivity. They require a large and extremely roomy terrarium. I house my specimens in Vision cages, which in my opinion, is probably in the top three choices for safe, secure caging for venomous reptiles. The one drawback in regards to Vision cages is the infamous lip at the top and bottom, which could easily conceal a snake. I know keepers that fix that problem by using caulk or spray foam to take that advantage away from the snake and to avoid a possible nasty surprise. Another brand of available commercial caging that is large enough to house adult Dendroaspis polylepis safely, is Animal Plastics. Of course, I have seen homemade cages that are very good and have the exact things a keeper would want for their “ideal” cage.

Trap boxes are a must! This is a very essential item to have when working with this species. Many specimens will use it as their favorite spot to hide. It also will come in handy on the days the snake is acting up, and it will retreat into the trapbox. You can then cautiously open the enclosure and slide closed the door on the trap box. I have seen some commercially made trap boxes, but many keepers choose to make their own that fits their own needs and requirements, as well as the snake's. For neonates or juveniles, the old cages made by Neodesha work fine. Just add some branches, a water bowl, and a nice hide box, and the younger specimens will feel right at home. Feeding these snakes usually presents no problems whatsoever. I have heard stories about fresh imports feeding on their first meal within hours of their arrival here in the US. For babies to juveniles, I feed them an appropriate sized rodent every three days, due to their extremely high metabolism rate, which is second to none. They usually have the whole meal digested and defecated within 24-36 hours. For the adults, two adult rats a week will be sufficient.

Antivenom:

Dendroaspis polylepis venom is extremely virulent. It is a combined neurotoxin and cardiotoxin. The genus Dendroaspis also produces a class of neurotoxins, known as dendrotoxins. This toxin acts as a strong convulsant. It allows for more neurotransmitter to be released at neuromuscular junctions, thus blocking the potassium channels, which will cause your body to convulse. I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep your own antivenom, or at least have close access to some if you keep this species. If you ever had to use a zoo's stock in the event of an emergency, please offer to reimburse them for using it. While the SAIMR antivenom that would be used in the event of a Dendroaspis polylepis bite works extremely well, it will not reverse the damages done by the cardiotoxins. Before antivenom was available, the bite from Dendroaspis polylepis was virtually 100% fatal. While most private keepers here in the US would rely on zoos if they were bitten, it's a different story for keepers in South Africa, in which the local hospital has in stock the necessary antivenom. A bite to a keeper in South Africa probably wouldn't make the news, but a bite to a keeper in the states could make national headlines depending on the situation and what actions are taken to save the victim.

Field Notes: Tales from bush land of South Africa.

Wild Dendroaspis polylepis are easily the most feared animals in the bush, by man and animals alike. I have seen even lions and elephants back away from a large Dendroaspis polylepis with its characteristic black mouth lining, and the reflecting silver tips. Adult Dendroaspis polylepis over 8 feet have no natural predators in Southern Africa.
Dendroaspis. polylepis are creatures of habit. They frequent the same basking spot, hiding spot and hunting spot for as long as they aren't forcibly removed. They travel by the same pathways, generally avoiding game trails. If you get within 40 feet you are very lucky, or it is still early morning. This combination of habits and nervousness make this species a rare find in houses, barns etc., although it does happen from time to time, in particular the younger specimens. Catching this species is precarious at best, utilizing enormous skill and patience. In the wild, Dendroaspis polylepis is not used to interacting with people, and will voice their displeasure rather vehemently. Its first option is always escape. If this option is not given, it will stand its ground. The chain of events usually takes two paths from here:

First: - If the snake is still cold or cool it usually stays in one spot, lifts its head and front third of the body. It then flattens the neck, opens its mouth to show the black lining and emits a hollow hiss. Any further antagonizing will result in a few rapid and unerringly accurate strikes.

Second: - If the snake is warmer the game changes a whole lot! Here is where the typical “Mamba” comes from. The snake moves forward at pace, starts raising the front part of its body (sometimes up to two thirds) and strikes out without slacking off in the forward pace. The rule of thumb here is to make sure you are one foot back for every one foot the Mamba is in length. After the initial lunge, the snake usually stops, and hisses with the mouth open. Any movement at this stage will encourage the snake to strike out.
This species rarely, if ever, delivers a dry bite. A bite from a large specimen will more than likely be on the head or chest area. Standing still is not an option, it's a necessity!

On to catching this snake in the wild…
I have caught many Dendroaspis polylepis in the bush, and there are various methods of doing this, one of them is very, very risky indeed. First off, out of personal experience, Dendroaspis polylepis are true solar machines. Catching one, or trying to do so in the late afternoon is dangerous, very dangerous. I try to avoid this situation as best I can. On callouts, this is not always possible though. For those necessary callouts, i.e. snakes and man collide; I have made a catching bag. This is just a long, biggish diameter PVC pipe with a bag that ties onto it with Velcro. The PVC pipe has a long handle (around 5 feet) tied to it as well. Place the tube in front of the cornered snake and it bolts for the hiding place like lightning. Keep an eye on it to make sure it does not come back. I use a black, non see-through bag for this purpose. This method has given me a 100% success rate and not even a close call with regards to being bit. The second method is a touch riskier, but also very successful. It's a more hands on approach and requires two people. In any event, you really shouldn't be tackling them on your own. Bagging this species without a bagging frame etc. is very difficult. The snake tends to wrap as much of its body as it can around yours, making it very difficult to let go. For this method, I use a holding bin, a fairly deep, round bin. I fill the bottom quarter with field grass or newspaper. After spotting the snake, and giving it chance to get away, I use a method called "raking" with the hook stick. This is simply sliding the hook underneath the snake and pulling it back towards you (really keeping the snake in one place) until it visibly tires, but don't touch the snake with your hands yet. This could sometimes take awhile. When the snake tires, I tail it. The snake's head is then directed to the bin, which is placed on its side. Dendroaspis do not like going down, so an upright bin does not work very well. Once the snake is in the bin, I use the tongs to neck it. I then let the snake bite a bag a few times, and manipulate the bag around the body. This is basically done by reverse pinning it. I put the bag around its head, restrain it with my other hand on the outside of the bag, and slide the bag over it. Before the bag is let go, it is gripped closed with the tongs, and knotted to make a loop.

On tailing Dendroaspis polylepis: They do not like it at all. When you do decide to tail it, do it gently and slowly. Move deliberately without haste. Once you have the hook under the snake, and the tail in hand, pull back firmly on the tail. The entire Dendroaspis genus has this habit of trying to use body leverage to pull itself free, and you are generally fighting against it when you tail one. If, however, the snake pulls loose, you are going to have a bad day. Be sure of what you are doing before you do it. Dendroaspis polylepis's reputation is certainly over inflated, but they still demand enormous respect, purely out of an ability point of view. These snakes probably rank as some of the most difficult snakes to catch, maintain safely and professionally in captivity, and restrain safely.

Conclusion:

This article was written out of admiration and out of a deep respect for Dendroaspis polylepis. No other snake in this world is the subject of the myth and lore that the Dendroaspis polylepis is subjected to. While many fear it across its native homeland, it's also admired by herpetoculturists around the globe. This article was written to give an in-depth look at some of the captive requirements and natural history of Dendroaspis polylepis. This species should only be kept by advanced hobbyists with many years of experience under their belt.

References:

1. “Calciseptine, a peptide isolated from black mamba venom, is a specific blocker of the L-type calcium channel - Jan R. De Weille, Hugues Schweitz, Pierrette Maes, Andre Tartar, and Michael Lazdunski.

Institut de Pharmocologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Unite Propre de Recherche

2. “Calciseptine, a Ca2+ Channel Blocker, Has Agonist Actions on L-type Ca2+ Currents of Frog and Mammalian Skeletal Muscle” (Journal of Membrane Biology) - M.C. García, Z. Hernández-Gallegos, J. Escamilla, J.A. Sánchez

Department of Pharmacology, Cinvestav, A.P. 14-740. Mexico D.F., 07300, Mexico

3. “Effects of calciseptine on unitary barium channel currents in guinea-pig portal vein.” - Teramoto N, Ogata R, Okabe K, Kameyama A, Kameyama M, Watanabe TX, Kuriyama H, Kitamura K.