Atheris chlorechis care, enclosure, info please help

[TobyToiser]

Hi, I have to receive chlorechis next week and would like to ask about general care, enclosure and other useful informations about this specie. If there are any people with experience, I would be glad if you could reply me here or hit me via PM. Any info of care etc is highly appreciated. Thanks everyone who is willing to help in advance, I asked a certain question in venomous snakes forum, but it seems not to be very active, so I decided to post my other thread here and I hope, that its not a problem. I want to thank everyone who is willing to help in advance! Cheers

[craigafrechette]

So you're getting a venomous animal and don't even know the basics of the animal's care?

Well that just sounds dangerous and irresponsible to me.

[TobyToiser]

Originally Posted by craigafrechette

So you're getting a venomous animal and don't even know the basics of the animal's care?

Well that just sounds dangerous and irresponsible to me.

Hello and thank you for response, and no, its not irresponsible I know how to manipulate with them, what I want to ask are more of a conditions for the snake in enclosure and info I should have as a keeper. Not the handling, I didnt found much info about this species, thats it. So if you could help me out, Ill really appreciate it

[craigafrechette]

I'm just not sure why anybody would bring a venomous animal into their home when they don't even know the basics about the species.
That right there screams irresponsible and dangerous. If you don't know the basics, you shouldn't be keeping hots.

[craigafrechette]

I'm not trying to discourage you. But in your first thread this morning you asked for some info because you were considering adding a hot to your collection.
Now, just hours later, you "have to receive" a venomous animal next week.

It all just seems a bit off. There's a right way to do things, and figuring it out as you go is a horrible way to work with venomous species.

A little hook handling with a friend is NOT experience enough to start keeping your own hots.
I mean, this should be at the very least a few months worth of research and a bunch more hands on experience.
Keeping hots isn't something to just jump into. You have to not only think of the animal's safety, but your own, anybody else living in your house/apartment building, neighbors, etc...etc...etc...

[Roman]

I have to agree with Craig, I don’t think that handling a snake a few times is enough to qualify you as a venomous keeper. So please really reconsider your decision.

For Atheris chlorechis is not much information available.

Size between 45 – 50 cm, maximum size 70 cm. Feeds on small mammals and birds. Forest species, prefers dense bushes, can be found up to 2 m above ground. Was found diurnal as well as nocturnal in the field. Not much known about the venom.

Information from Tony Phelps: Old World Vipers, Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main 2010

There is also a husbandry description of a German keeper Daniel Liepack --> Atheris chlorechis

He keeps his snakes with 12 to 14 hours of light. Temperatures should stay at 25° C during daytime and drop to 21° C at night. Temperatures of 30° C or above for an extended period are harmful for this species. As with many other arboreal snakes they prefer to drink water as droplets, so you have to spray water on a daily basis. They need a high humidity between 70 to 80%, but the enclosure should not be moist, the water you spray should evaporate during the day. Daniel sprays water directly on his snakes, most of them start drinking immediately. He feeds them small mice and small birds (sparrows).