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RE: Coral Cobras (Aspidelaps lubricus infuscatus)
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by Cro on December 14, 2007
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Sal, if I ever visit your house someday, remind me not to have the pancakes, LOL !
Best Regards and Merry Christmas !
JohnZ
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RE: Coral Cobras (Aspidelaps lubricus infuscatus)
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by Chance on December 14, 2007
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Hmm, kinda makes me want to go home and sniff some poop. Okay so it doesn't, but it's an interesting fact anyway. There are a few reptiles that exude particular scents. I've never noticed it with my Aspidelaps, but they are Naja and some others in the same room so who knows.
-Chance
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RE: Coral Cobras (Aspidelaps lubricus infuscatus)
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by boomslangandrew on December 17, 2007
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Scientific Name:
Aspidelaps lubricus
Common Name:
Cape coral snake, shield-nosed cobras.
Native country:
Southern Africa
Climate:
26 - 32 ° C Day temperature. In nighttime the temperature can be lowered to 20-22 degrees. Spotlight temperature 35-37 ° C. Humidity: 70-80%.
Size:
Usually 30-60 cm.
General desciption / In captivity:
Nocturnal.
Terrariumsize: 80 x 50 x 50 minimum. Dry grassland is imitated.
Feed on:
Snakes, small mammals and lizards. In captivity they feed on mouse.
Venom: Neurotoxin
Breeding:
Oviparous. Produce litters of 6-8 eggs.
Incubationstime about 58-62 Tage.
Temperature: 28-30 degrees.
Description:
Head very short and broad; internasals completely separated from one another by the very large rostral shield, which is broader than deep and from 2/5 to just over half width of head, has a straight front edge and is obtusely angled behind; 4th upper labial only entering the eye; body moderately stout, slightly depressed; scales in 21 (exceptionally 23) rows at midbody, smooth or slightly keeled anteriorly, but becoming distinctly and tubercularly keeled behind and larger and smoother towards the sides; ventrals 112 to 125 (seldom more than 119 in males or less than 119 in females); subcaudals 21 to 38 (rarely less than 26 in males or over 28 in females). Salmon pink to pinkish, greyish to reddish brown or brown above, with a v-shaped black marking on head followed behind, after a narrow pale interspace, by a broad black band or collar, which may or may not completely encircle the neck; this nuchal band is followed again by a large black spot, which may also extend below to form a band across neck; underparts white to yellowish white, except for the above-mentioned black markings extended from above; in the western part of its range (i.e. west of 30?E. longitude) the head and neck of adults becoming uniformly shiny black above and below, except for a pale patch extending below over 3rd and 7th ventrals. Average length of adults about 45cm, but may attain as much as 60cm, when they become very stout and obese; tail short, its length being contained in total length 5 to 61/2 times in males and little over 8 times in females.
Distribution:
From southern Mozambique, westwards across the sub-continent, through Transvaal, south-western Zimbabwe, Kalahari into northern half of Namibia (i.e. approximately between latitudes 17?30' and 27? South).
Behaviour
A somewhat sluggish, thick-bodied snake, which can be easily recognised by the very large snout shield (rostral) and the distinctive dark markings on the head and neck. Like the cobras, these snakes rear up when molested and flatten their necks, but do not actually spread a 'hood'. Like the adders, they inflate the body with air and expel same with distinct, low-toned, abrupt hisses when striking. They also sham death like the spitting cobras and the Rinkhals, but usually not so readily as the latter. They are normally found in sandveld areas and often bury themselves by pushing into the substratum with the snout in bulldozer fashion. Their diet consists mainly of various kinds of reptiles, toads and small mammals.
Reproduction
Eggs are usually layed in December, between 3 and 12. Small clutches are laid throught the summer in captivity.
Venom
A mild neurotoxin. No reported fatalities.
Anti-venom is not required.
Captive care
Caging
I keep my Shield nose snakes in the same fashion as my Elapids. One per enclosure. The enclosure size 800 mm x 600mm. Shield Nose snakes like to burrow in loose sand, so I use fine sand as a substrate. This has only one drawback, you hardly ever see them. The cage temperatures range from 30 deg. Celsius in the hot side to 20 deg. Celsius in the cooler side.
Feeding
These little snakes eat! And eat well! Because of their smaller size I limit them to one mouse fuzzy per week. Although the female is fed slightly more before I let them breed.
Breeding
Shield Nose snakes breed readily. I usually let them breed only once a year, but they can and will carry on breeding right through the summer if given the opportunity. My biggest clutch has been 8 eggs thus far.
Handling
Shield Nose snakes are very bad tempered. They huff and puff and rear up with very little provocation. Handling them can be a challenge because of their small size. Sometimes they ride the hook, sometimes they don't. Tailing them can be risky.
While a Shield nose bite is not fatal, it is very unpleasant. They deserve the same respect as any other hot snake.
antivenom
Anti venom is not required for this species
Closing
These are the ultimate "cute" snake. The large rostral scale giving it a very unique face. Whilst they are very bad tempered, they make an excellent addition to any hot herp collection.
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RE: Coral Cobras (Aspidelaps lubricus infuscatus)
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by Buzztail1 on December 17, 2007
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Andrew?
Whose information did you post?
You did not give them any credit for a lot of information that they took the time to put together.
I have articles written by Susan Hunter on the keeping and breeding of African Coral Cobras and Shield-nosed Snakes (two of the ssps of Aspidelaps).
If someone wants to email me for them, I will try to find where I saved them.
R/
Karl
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