Eyelash Viper Question

nelson48 · 09-07-11, 01:42 AM

I have a question. I just purchased 2 eyelash vipers and have had them in seperate tanks. They are both juveniles. I bought a new exoterra arboreal tank the other day and I put them both in it. I was wondering if it will be ok keeping them together? They have been together for 2 days with no prob. but I wasn't sure since this is my first pair of them. Also, I don't know the sex of either of them.

Will0W783 · 09-07-11, 08:07 AM

Hi nelson48,

I am by no means an eyelash viper expert; however, I have researched their care, history and venom as much as possible since my fiance recently bought a baby male.

While many zoos do house them communally, the cages they use are massive, naturalistic enclosures, and the snakes are rarely found near each other in those enclosures. Exoterra does not make a cage that is really large enough to house several eyelashes. How large are yours? When they are babies, they do much better if housed in shoeboxes or small acrylic cages. They like to feel secure, and with a hot you want to be able to see where it is in the cage quickly.

In fact, the acrylic cages at Tarantulacages.com would be perfect housing for baby eyelashes. Their small to medium cages would house the viper for its first year to two years, depending on feeding rate, and then once it's an adult, it can be moved to the Exoterra. TarantulaCages.com - Arboreal Cages (the 7"x 7" x 13" or 8" x 8" x 16" are good choices and cheap).

However, I would not house two adults in an Exoterra, and I would not house two babies in there either. You would lose track of the little guys easily in that cage, and that could create a dangerous situation for both you and the vipers- if you're rooting around with a hook trying to find them amongst various branches and plants. Simpler is better with hots, especially as these two are your first.

How big are your juveniles? My fiance's was born in December 2010, and is about 7" inches long. He's in this Sterilite - 1874: Medium Nesting ShowOffs™, with a few fake plants and vines for him to perch on and many holes drilled for ventilation. It's very clean, very simple and you can spot the viper immediately before you open the door.

My personal advice is to keep them in small, separate cages until they are large enough for an Exoterra, then purchase another Exoterra and house them separately.

BlindOne · 09-07-11, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nelson48

I have a question. I just purchased 2 eyelash vipers and have had them in seperate tanks. They are both juveniles. I bought a new exoterra arboreal tank the other day and I put them both in it. I was wondering if it will be ok keeping them together? They have been together for 2 days with no prob. but I wasn't sure since this is my first pair of them. Also, I don't know the sex of either of them.

Hi,

I used to keep Eyelash's myself, gorgeous little vipers. I wouldn't recommend keeping them together at any time other than breeding. It's been a while since I've had them but I kept neonates in 16 oz plastic containers with a perch and a paper towel lining the bottom. They're really tiny babies. How big are yours? Once they've reached 12-14 inches, I think they can be kept in a 10G critter cage or something similar.

Will0W783 · 09-07-11, 02:54 PM

That's what my fiance's is in. We have had him since June and he has been doing great in the plastic tub- other than needing the paper towel changed about twice a week. Eyelashes need such high humidity the paper towel molds easily.

BlindOne · 09-07-11, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

That's what my fiance's is in. We have had him since June and he has been doing great in the plastic tub- other than needing the paper towel changed about twice a week. Eyelashes need such high humidity the paper towel molds easily.

You might try 1" of cypress mulch instead of the paper towel for humidity

nelson48 · 09-07-11, 10:26 PM

the larger one is around 7 to 8 inches around and the smaller one is about 4 to 5 inches .. they seem to be doing good the smaller shed last night .. my real only concern is that they may bite each other . but they seem to be doing good in the exoterra . the exo is alot easier for me to keep the temp right than them when they were in the critter cages.

Will0W783 · 09-08-11, 05:00 AM

I still wouldn't house them together. When you say your larger one is "7 to 8 inches around" I hope you meant length- NO eyelash viper should be 7-8 inches in diameter! My fisnce's is 8 inches long right now, and I'd lose him in a big Exoterra.

SnakeyJay · 09-08-11, 07:33 AM

I dont keep hots but it seems silly to have a viv, where if you cant find them youve got the problem that while lookin for one, the other may get a chance to tag u.

Will0W783 · 09-08-11, 08:34 AM

It's a good idea to have as naturalistic as possible a setup for adults, but from what I've read the simpler you keep it for babies, the better. Baby eyelashes are TINY TINY TINY, and they are quick. They hide really well- I sometimes have to spend a minute or two to find where my fiance's is before we open the cage for cleaning, and he doesnt' have many places to hide. Nelson, if you'd like I can try to snap a picture of the enclosure for you tonight so you can get an idea of how I set it up. KD.35WIN also has some awesome setups.

nelson48 · 09-08-11, 09:26 PM

lol, sorry i didn't meen 7-8 inches around. i ment that's how long he is.