Popeia nebularis- the Cameron Highlands pit (tree) viper

[Will0W783]

OMG, so I had the biggest amazing surprise of my life on Saturday at the Hamburg reptile show. My good friend Darren brought me one of my dream snakes. I'd never thought I'd see one of these things in the flesh, let alone be able to own it!!!

I am now the proud owner of a 2-3 year old female Popeia nebularis. These guys are exteremely rare, but can be hardy when acclimated well. They are pretty much always wild-caught and have a hard time getting accustomed to captivity. Darren had brought in 8 of these guys a few years back, and this girl is the only survivor, so he decided to let her go to me.

I can't stop looking at pictures of her awesome flat, long face, and staring at her in her cage when I get home. The electric blue highlights against her dark green scales, and those eyes....her eyes are blue at the edges, and blend into green and then yellow in the very center.

She also had the kindness to shed in the container at the show, so that when I got home I could see her vibrant fresh skin! Here are some pictures of her. She ate a f/t mouse for me last night, so I'm thinking she will do quite well for me.

[bumblebat]

Holy cow she's pretty :O

[Zoo Nanny]

She's beautiful! Love that last pic, her colors jump out at you!

[Mark Taylor]

That's a cool snake.

[Will0W783]

Thanks guys! She's doing great so far...she's actually quite calm and curious.

[Trollbie]

Beautiful!

[MikeM77]

She is gorgeous

[DragonsEye]

Gorgeous creature

[alessia55]

Kim are these related to the waglers?

[MoreliAddict]

Very pretty snake as always kim!

[Hurrok]

Wow she is stunning! I'd be looking at her all day if I could

Nothing compares to getting something that you have been dreaming of for a long time, congratulations

[Ivanator]

I'm sooo jealous of you! You get to keep all these beautiful snakes that I wish to own, but can't.

[Will0W783]

Thank you guys for all the kind words...she is everything I'd hoped a nebularis would be.

Alessia....These guys used to all be classified under Trimeresurus, along with Wagler's, the Habus and the white-lipped viper complex. It was found that there is enough genetic difference that the Wagler's got put into their own genus, Tropidolaemus, the white-lipped complex got moved to Cryptelytrops and the Cameron highlands viper is Popeia.

They classify them based on number of rows of scales, body structure, head shape, etc. Honestly I don't understand why certain species are where they are. For example, the nebularis is the only species in Popeia that has a red tipped tail, most of the Cryptelytrops species do, except for venustus, which used to be Trimeresurus....it's all very confusing.
What I can say is that they are no more closely related to the Wagler's than my other tree vipers are.

[Cor8et]

Now that`s a stunning snake, beautiful colors Willow.

This snake may eat frogs, is this unique for a snake ?

Little is known of the ecology of this species. Its diet is presumed to comprise rodents and birds, however the fact that the specimen illustrated here was found in strike pose in a shallow stream gully suggests it may also prey on frogs.

[Will0W783]

Cor8et, most of the arboreal Indonesian vipers will readily eat amphibians and lizards, as well as rodents. In the wild they tend to subsist of varied diets. Eyelash vipers, ashy pit vipers, white-lipped vipers, Wagler's viper, and others have all been successfully fed on frogs and geckos in captivity.