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Puff Adders ( Bitis Arietans )
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by Michiganman on October 19, 2004
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What is the basic difference between the Cape Puff Adder and the Common Puff Adder? Being that these guys are cousins to the Gaboons, do they need constant attention when it comes to drinking water? Alot of people and books say that they are vigorous eaters, should a 2+ft. Puff be fed once a week? Are their metabolisms similar to the Gaboons? I can not find any information on that anywhere? Any information on these Puffs will be greatly appreciated, including breeding tips. Thank you very much!
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RE: Puff Adders ( Bitis Arietans )
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by Phobos on October 19, 2004
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Hi Tom:
I feed my Puff Adder once a week for the most part. When she was just a neonate I fed her twice a week. Now that she is a "big girl" I have cut it back to once a week ,much to her dismay. She is a bit tricky to get her to drink like her cousins the Gabbies & Rhinos. They have to physically drag to the water dish or put them in a tub of 75 degree water for a swim & drink.
The Puffer likes to drink right from my water spray bottle, which can be tricky having my fingers very close. Some times if I'm lucky like today, I can lead her to the water bowl with the spray bottle where she "finds" the water & drinks. Un-like the gabbies & rhinos if I touch her with the hook "This of course mean WAR" and she goes completely defensive and no way is she willing to do anything except try and kill me. My Horned Adder (B. cauldalis) likes to suck the water off her body or the walls of her cage and seldom will drink from her bowl.
They are all kept at near room temperature (except cauldalis) which in the summer is kept at 74 and at the moment about 72. The humidity is about 50-60% in the room, a bit higher in the cages by misting the substrate and keeping a wet sponge inside. Keep Gabbys & Rhinos on the humid side or they may start to bleed from the respiratory tract, which is obviously not good. The large Bitis have heat rocks on one side of the cage and a full spectrum UV light left on for 14 hrs (by timer). Only the Puff Adder seems to lay on the heat rock when digesting or opaque, most of the time she is on the cool side of the cage. My dwarf Bitis has a ceramic heater and the same UV lamp as described. It's conditions are closer to it's natural desert environment.
As for your other questions; some one else will have to answer, I don't breed my snakes, so I'm not qualified to respond. I got my Puff from Glades Herps as a neonate and she has done fantastic as all of my snakes from them.
You can see her at:
http://groups.msn.com/SomeLikeThemHot
Good Luck,
Al
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RE: Puff Adders ( Bitis Arietans )
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by captiveherps on October 19, 2004
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I had 3 imported puffs, they came in by mistake from tanzania. I never had any problems with them drinking from a dish. I found they dont need as much water or attention as gaboons and rhino's. They were very easy to keep and settled down after a few months.
The cape puffs have nicer colors
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