Mangshan Pit Viper — Fact Sheet
Protobothrops mangshanensis · Mangshan Pit Viper
📋 At a glance
| Adult size | 130-200 cm |
| Lifespan | Insufficient species-specific data |
| Subspecies | Retain locality and parentage |
| Origin | See the locality-specific map and climate in the full guide |
| Activity | Cathemeral |
| Difficulty | Expert |
| Legal | Explicitly listed in CITES Appendix II and EU Annex B. International trade and EU import/acquisition require the applicable documents and proof of lawful origin. Its Chinese range lies outside the Bern Convention’s European protection context; Chinese national protection independently restricts collection and trade. |
🏠 Enclosure
One adult: 240 × 120 × 150 cm as a practical starting enclosure, enlarged for the actual animal. Relative humidity 65–80%, with fresh water, local moisture and dry resting areas. Locked enclosure and room, a secure isolation compartment, protected servicing and separate quarantine for at least 90 days.
Use 5–10 cm of a clean soil/bark/leaf-litter mix as a practical starting depth, with drainage and accessible cleaning zones. Maintain moisture below the surface without waterlogging resting areas. Strong branches and platforms must carry the full adult weight and remain serviceable after safe isolation. Provide shelter at ground level and above it; avoid a bare floor beneath a single exposed perch.
🌡️ Temperature
Provisional active-season targets, not proven optima or safety limits. Outdoor climate averages are not enclosure settings; seasonal changes require the documented origin and veterinary review.
- Basking spot: 27-29 °C
- Warm zone: 24-27 °C
- Cool zone: 21-24 °C
- Night: 19-22 °C
🪳 Feeding
Documented zoo breeding provides a stronger captive basis than its rarity in trade suggests, but obtain the individual’s feeding records. Offer modest thawed whole rodents to established feeders; 14–21 days for adults and 7–10 days for smaller juveniles are provisional starting intervals, adjusted to body condition. Do not reward inactivity with oversized meals. Feed through protected access and allow undisturbed digestion; a tail lure is not an invitation to interact.
🩺 Health — warning signs
Persistent exposed resting or attempts to escape the warm zone warrant an immediate temperature check. Wheezing, bubbles or open-mouth breathing suggest respiratory disease; abnormal belly scales may indicate dermatitis. Repeated poor sheds, regurgitation, weight loss or abnormal faeces require a reptile veterinarian to distinguish dehydration, dietary problems, parasites and other illness. Do not deworm or restrain a venomous snake yourself; arrange secure professional transport.
☠️ Venom
Bite severity varies; a small wound or an apparently dry bite does not exclude delayed envenoming.
Published human cases document severe, delayed or recurrent clotting failure; initially modest local signs do not exclude dangerous envenoming. A 2012 case responded to Thai Green Pit Viper Antivenin, while a later case had prolonged coagulopathy despite Hemato Polyvalent antivenom. These reports guide clinicians, not a guaranteed cross-neutralisation claim. Hospital monitoring and poison-centre-directed treatment are essential even when the bite initially seems mild.
Call emergency services immediately, keep the person still, remove rings and tight items, and support the limb without compression. Do not cut, suck, apply ice or a tourniquet, or delay transport to capture the snake. Establish receiving-hospital and poison-centre arrangements before acquisition. Antivenom selection and administration belong to clinicians.