The Puff Adder (Bitis arietans) is a large Afro-Asiatic snake featured in the Standard Edition of Planet Zoo.
Zoopedia description
General[]
Population in the wild: Unknown
The Puff adder (or Bitis arietans) is a species of venomous snake that is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and the Southern Middle East. It is distinguishable by its squat body, broad head and and dull scales; these are beige, brown and black, and formed in a reticulated pattern to provide it with excellent camouflage on the savannas and grasslands where it prefers to live. It's a slow moving snake, but can reach great speeds when disturbed. Their average length is 1m - although some specimens can reach almost 2m - and males tend to be larger than females, with a wider girth and longer tail.
Social[]
Puff adders are solitary animals. It is rare that they will ever encounter each other in the wild except when males search for females to mate with, and even so they do not interact.
Reproduction[]
Males search for females by tracking pheromonal signals, and many will often meet each other when seeking the same female. If this happens, they compete for mating rights by performing combative 'dances' and wrestling with their rivals by entwining their necks together. A victor will eventually emerge, mating with the female who, after 5 to 6 months. It will give birth to between 30 and 80 live young. These hatchlings are independent from birth and will reach sexual maturity at 2 years old.
Animal Care[]
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Exhibit animals can't share space with other species. |
Trivia[]
Zoopedia Fun Facts[]
- Puff adders are responsible for most snakebite deaths in Africa.
- The Puff adder is extremely greedy and has been known to eat itself to death in captivity if offered unlimited food.
- The venom of the puff adder can cause extreme pain, low blood pressure and necrosis of tissue.
- The puff adder is an aggressive and bad-tempered snake, often remaining ready to attack and never settling when in captivity.
- The puff adder can give birth to a great number of live young, with one female recorded as giving birth to 156 young.