Share

Short share URL

https://academy.herpeton.net/en/factsheets/snakes/bitis-armata/

Southern Adder — Fact Sheet

Bitis armata · Southern Adder

📋 At a glance

Adult size30-55 cm
LifespanAbout 12-18 years; captive data are limited
TaxonomyNo subspecies; historic B. cornuta/inornata labels need review
OriginFragmented coastal fynbos and dune thicket in Western Cape, South Africa
ActivityCathemeral; weather-dependent and capable of low climbing
DifficultyExpert; licensed specialist/institutional, display-only
LegalCITES/EU not listed; SANBI Vulnerable; Western Cape and other local permits apply

🏠 Enclosure

  • Locked primary enclosure inside an access-controlled escape-proof room.
  • Minimum 120 x 60 x 75 cm for one adult; solitary.
  • Two compartments or a positively lockable full-body shift; newborn-proof gaps.
  • 6-10 cm sandy soil and leaf litter; paper in quarantine.
  • Quarantine at least 90 days with dedicated tools and legal-origin records.
  • Protected contact only; two trained adults at openings, never free-handle.

🪨 Enclosure furniture

  • Secure warm and cool hides plus ventilated humid refuge.
  • Dense low cover, broad anchored stems/platforms and cushioned fall zones.
  • Clear inspection route and protected shallow water access.
  • No unstable stones, thin branches, thorns or inaccessible vegetation.

💡 Lighting

  • UVB recommended: measured Ferguson Zone 2 over part of the warm zone.
  • Bright white visible light with complete shrub and hide shade.
  • 10-14 hours seasonally; darkness at night.

🌡️ Temperature

  • Basking surface: 28-32 °C

  • Ambient: 20-25 °C

  • Cool refuge: 16-20 °C

  • Night: 12-18 °C

  • Preserve cool Cape choices; do not use inland-desert ambient heat.

  • Thermostat, guard, probe and alarm all heat.

💧 Humidity & water

  • Ambient 50-70%; shed refuge 65-80% with dry resting surfaces.
  • Stable shallow fresh-water bowl exchanged through protected access.
  • Cross-ventilate; localize moisture below the surface.
  • Soaking, condensation or skin blistering → investigate promptly.

🐁 Diet

Feed freely:

  • Growing juveniles: small frozen-thawed mice every 7-14 days if established.

In moderation:

  • Adults: modest frozen-thawed mice every 14-28 days, guided by weight and condition.

Avoid:

  • Live prey, wild-caught vertebrates, oversized meals, force-feeding and loose feeding tubs.

Supplements:

  • None routinely with complete whole vertebrate prey.

🩺 Health — warning signs

  • Persistent cool-hide use or restlessness → overheating.
  • Blisters, wet scales, wheeze or bubbles → damp stagnant housing or disease.
  • Thick rounded body → obesity.
  • Fall or bruising → unsafe climbing structure.
  • Retained shed, mites, oral swelling or abnormal faeces → veterinary review.
  • Missing permit/provenance link → legal and conservation failure.

Shift and secure before veterinary care. Maintain written bite, escape and hospital plans; there is no home treatment.