The Viper Boa is a species of snake native to New Guinea and other surrounding islands. They are sometimes referred to as the Pacific Ground Boa, Papuan Ground Viper or the New Guinea Boa.
An important thing to remember is that the Viper Boa is not a venomous species of snake. They are a member of the Boa family. They are called Viper Boas because they have a resemblance to the Death Adder, who lives in the same area.
However, despite the name “Viper”, this is actually a harmless species of Boa that is becoming more and more popular in the pet trade.
Description
The Viper Boa is a small species of Boa with adults growing to an average length of around 2ft. It is possible for these snakes to reach around 3ft in length but this is rare.
These snakes are heavy bodied and stocky with a very short tail that is barely distinguishable. They are similar in build to a Blood Python, although they do not grow as large.
The Viper Boa is a dimorphic species, meaning the males and females can be easily distinguishable. Males have spurs on either side of their vents while females don’t. This is even apparent in juveniles.
Viper boas can vary greatly in colour and pattern. You can find Viper Boas that are black, gold or even red. A duller colour is more common such as brown or grey. This helps them to blend into their surroundings in the wild.
The patterning on these snakes can vary greatly but generally consist of spots or stripes that run horizontally along the snake’s body.
They get their name because they are similar in appearance to the Death Adder which is also found in New Guinea. Unfortunately, this means the snake is sometimes killed out of fear when it is encountered in the wild.
They have a large triangular head that protrudes out from the neck, similar to a Boa Constrictor. Their nose and mouth extend outwards which allows them to use it almost like a shovel to help them dig and burrow.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Viper Boa is native to a large portion of New Guinea. It can also be found on some surrounding islands including the Solomon Islands and Bougainville island to the East of New Guinea. It can also be found on the island of Manus, North of New Guinea.
There are many other common reptile species found in New Guinea including the Bismarck Ringed Python, the Boelen’s Python, the Red Eyed Crocodile Skink, the Green Tree Python and the White Lipped Python.
Their natural habitat consists of wet lowlands, forests and swamps. Their preferred habitat is a damp environment with lots of water. These Boas are excellent swimmers and will spend a large amount of time in water.
Viper Boas as Pets
Although Viper Boas make great pet snakes, they tend to have a bad reputation. This reputation stems from wild caught Boas that were initially taken for the pet trade.
These wild caught Boas came with many problems including parasites, mites and disease. Unfortunately many if these snakes died in captivity or were very difficult to acclimatise.
Thankfully, due to the success that people have had breeding these snakes, there is no reason to purchase a wild caught Viper Boa. These captive bred snakes are far easier to take care of.
It is important when purchasing a Viper Boa to do your research on the seller and ask questions to ensure you are getting a captive bred animal. This will increase the chances of the snake being healthy, free of parasites and not stressed.
These snakes also play an important role within their natural ecosystem. While it can be beneficial to remove snakes from their natural environment at times to protect the species, this isn’t the case with the Viper Boa and there is a large enough population of them in captivity top only purchase captive bred animals.
This snake was often considered an “advanced” species, meaning it was very difficult to care for and best left to people who had a lot of previous experience with keeping reptiles.
However, this isn’t the case as captive bred animals are much easier to care for and a Viper Boa will usually calm down and become very socialised with regular handling.
High humidity requirements are probably the most difficult aspect of keeping a Viper Boa. However, if you have experience with other snakes that require high humidity such as a Brazilian Rainbow Boa, you will have no trouble keeping one of these snakes.
Wild caught Boas got a reputation for being very aggressive and difficult to keep alive, especially when these snakes were first introduced to the hobby. However, with better knowledge of husbandry and captive bred animals, your Viper Boa should live for anywhere between 10-20 years in captivity.
Temperament
As mentioned previously, the Viper Boa has a bad reputation for being temperamental and aggressive. However, this reputation comes from the wild-caught specimens that were initially introduced into the pet trade.
These snakes underwent a huge amount of stress, carried diseases and were plagued with parasites which gave them a bad temper. Captive bred animals are healthy and don’t get exposed to these levels of stress so they are far more docile.
It is also important to remember that this is a relatively small species of snake so in the wild they are not at the top of the food chain. They are living in an environment where they can be attacked at any time so they have to be highly alert and defensive in order to survive.
A captive bred Viper Boa will lose these “survival instincts” to a certain degree. Regular handling and a routine will usually be enough to acclimatise your snake and they will learn that you are not a treat to their survival.
Behavior
The Viper Boa is a nocturnal species meaning they are generally active at night and sleep during the day. However, as snakes are cold-blooded, they have to adapt to their surroundings so they may come out of hiding during the day if they need to increase their body temperature.
It is important to remember your snake’s natural behaviour when keeping them in captivity. As they are a nocturnal species, you should aim to feed them at night or late in the evening. This will replicate their natural behaviour and will help improve their feeding response.
They are a heavy bodied, ground dwelling species that isn’t known for climbing. However, they are more than capable of climbing on low lying branches. They are excellent swimmers and will often enter slow moving water such as lakes and swamps.
The Viper Boa will often dig burrows and they have adapted to become great burrowers. The front of their head is long and slender and they will use this to dig their burrows, using their head almost like a shovel. In captivity, they can be a bit defensive. This behaviour is easy to recognise though so if you pay close attention to your snake, you can easily avoid a bite and prevent them from getting too stressed. Simply removing your snake from the enclosure with a hook is enough to flip them out of defensive mode.
Feeding a Viper Boa
An adult Viper Boa only needs to be fed around once every 14 days. They should be fed a meal that is slightly smaller than the girth of the snake. An adult Viper Boa can easily eat a fuzzy rat.
Juveniles can be fed weekly. Again, an appropriately sized meal is a rodent that is slightly smaller than the girth of the snake at its largest point.
While a Viper Boa is a heavy bodied snake, it is still easy to over feed them. This species has a slow metabolism so they don’t need to be fed as much as more active snakes.
You should always feed your snake frozen thawed prey instead of live rodents. A live rodent has sharp teeth and claws and can easily injure your snake. While snakes eat live prey in the wild, the prey has the ability to escape.
In captivity, you are basically placing two animals into a cage and making them fight for their survival. While the snake will always win and get its meal, they may not always come out of it without injury. This can also be very stressful for your snake when they are stuck in the enclosure with a rodent when they don’t want to eat.
Viper Boa Enclosure
The Viper Boa does not like to climb so floor space is the most important aspect of their enclosure. As they are a small, shy snake, they actually do really well in a rack system.
Some people prefer to keep snakes in tubs while others are very against it. Viper Boas however, are one species that racks or tubs work great for. You can always choose a tub that is on the larger size to give your snake more room.
A Viper Boa should be kept in an enclosure that measures at least 2ft x 1.5ft x 1ft. This will provide them with the minimum amount of floor space that they need. A 3ft long enclosure would be even better.
An important feature of a Viper Boa enclosure is a large water bowl. Not only will the snake use this for drinking, but they love to soak. It is important to change this regularly to prevent the build-up of bacteria.
These snakes come from a humid habitat so you will need to have a high humidity in their enclosure. Aim for a humidity level of 70-80%. This can be achieved with a large water bowl, damp substrate and regular misting.
You will also want a deep layer of substrate as these snakes will utilise it for burrowing. This does not need to be excessive but 3-4” of loose substrate will be utilised by the snake.
There are a wide variety of enclosure types you can use for your snake. We will briefly discuss some of these below. While all of these enclosures can be a great choice, depending on the species you are keeping, it is important to remember that not every type of enclosure is suitable for all species.
Glass Enclosure
One of the most common display enclosures in the reptile hobby is a glass enclosure such as the ones made by Exo Terra. While these enclosures make great display cages, they can be quite expensive. This is especially true when buying larger models.
A Viper Boa is generally a shy snake and likes to feel secure. The ‘openness’ of a glass enclosure can make them feel exposed. However, this can be minimised with a lot of hiding places so if you want to use a glass enclosure, just make sure there are plenty of places for your Boa to retreat.
Another downside to many of these enclosures is that they usually come with large screen mesh. This will allow all the humidity in the enclosure to be released and it can be difficult to maintain a humidity level of 70-80%. There are ways around this such as covering most of the mesh with a damp cloth or aluminium foil.
Conclusion – Not the best enclosure for a Viper Boa but can certainly be made to work.
Wooden Enclosure
A wooden enclosure will offer more security for your Boa as they only have one clear side, the sliding doors at the front. Wood is also a great insulator so it can be easier to maintain the correct temperatures.
However, as a Viper Boa requires high levels of humidity and a large water bowl that can tip over, the wood will likely warp and rot over time. You can seal the wood with a non-toxic sealant to help increase its life span.
Conclusion – Can certainly work for your snake but keep in mind that this enclosure wont last as long as the others on the list. However, it is also the cheapest option so replacing it every few years isn’t a massive expenditure.
PVC Enclosure
PVC Enclosures are becoming extremely popular in the hobby and for good reason. These enclosures are great for almost all types of reptiles. PVC is a great insulator so temperatures are easy to maintain.
This is also a plastic so it wont rot or warp when exposed to high humidity levels making it a great option for a Viper Boa. Like wooden enclosures, most of these will offer a great sense of security as they only have one clear side.
The downside to PVC enclosures is that they can get very expensive. This is especially true if you are looking for one of the Moulded PVC enclosures. However, enclosures made out of sheet PVC are generally far more affordable.
Conclusion – A great option for your snake. Humidity levels and temperatures will be easier to maintain. However, shop around as they can be expensive.
Snake Rack
Snake racks are one of the most controversial and debated topics when it comes to keeping reptiles. However, a snake rack can be a great way to keep a Viper Boa. Keep in mind that using a rack does not mean you have to cram a snake into a small tub with no enrichment.
For example, if you use a V70 snake rack that is often used for Ball Pythons, your snake will have plenty of room to move around. These tubs have a floor space of approximately 3ft x 1.5ft which will be loads of room for a 2ft snake.
This floor space can be filled with branches, leaves, a large water bowl, substrate, a cork bark log etc. Most rack manufacturers also offer the option of clear or opaque tubs which will give your Boa an extra sense of security.
The tubs themselves are easy to heat with an under-tank heat mat and humidity levels are relatively easy to maintain.
Conclusion – A great alternative to a PVC enclosure. However, this is only viable if you are keeping a large number of snakes. You could use a tub on its own if you are only keeping the one snake.
Light and Heat
A Viper Boa needs a heat spot of around 88F. The ambient temperature of the enclosure can be around 80F. At night the temperature can drop as low as 75F, as long as it is brought back up again in the morning.
Heat can be provided using a heat mat or overhead heat. A heat mat is recommended as these snakes generally don’t bask in the wild. An overhead ceramic heater will also reduce the humidity in the air.
Place a heat mat underneath the enclosure and not inside it. This should be connected to an on/off thermostat with the probe of the thermostat placed inside the enclosure.
Viper Boas do not require any special lighting. If you choose to have lights in your enclosure, be sure to turn them off at night. This is to provide your snake with a proper day/night cycle.
Viper Boa Substrate
A Viper Boa likes a high level of humidity and they like to dig. Therefore the substrate in their enclosure should be able to hold humidity well. It should also be a loose substrate that the snake can dig and burrow through.
Eco Earth or Coco Fibre are great substrates for this. Both are great at holding humidity without moulding. They can also be loosely packed to allow the snake to burrow. The substrate should not be saturated and soggy.
These substrates are also great if you want to create a Bio Active enclosure as they will help plant life to thrive. Clean up crews such as springtails and isopods do great in these kinds of substrates.
The substrate should be damp enough to help raise the humidity levels in the enclosure to around 70-80%. This means it should be wet to the touch but it shouldn’t drain water if you squeeze it.
Aim for a substrate with a depth of around 5-10cm. This will allow your Viper Boa to dig and burrow. Keep in mind that a heat map might not be able to heat an enclosure with a substrate this thick. You may have to have less substrate on the side of the enclosure with the heat.
A large water bowl is a must for these snakes. Viper Boas love water and will often spend a large amount of time in them. These snakes are even known to breed in their water bowls.
You can also use substrates such as unprinted newspaper and paper towel. These are great options during quarantine as they will allow you to monitor your Boa closely but aren’t suitable as a permanent substrate.
While it is generally easy to discard paper towel from a reptile enclosure, a Viper Boa required high humidity so you are going to have to constantly spray down the substrate to keep the required levels of humidity. When paper towel dries out, it also tends to stick to the caging which makes it more difficult to remove. Paper towel will also take away from the snake’s ability to dig so we do not recommend it as a permanent substrate. But it is a great option during quarantine.
Handling
The Viper Boa has a bad reputation for being a temperamental and aggressive species but this isn’t necessarily true. Their reputation comes from the wild-caught specimens that were initially introduced into the pet trade.
These snakes were subjected a huge amount of stress, carried diseases and were plagued with parasites which gave them a bad temper. Captive bred animals are healthy and don’t get exposed to these levels of stress so they are far more docile.
If you purchase a juvenile Viper Boa, there is a good chance that it will be bitey. However, this is a small snake and a bite won’t hurt and often won’t even draw a bit of blood.
It is important to get these snakes used to handling from a young age to get them accustomed to you and learn that you are not a threat to them. These snakes are not aggressive so as long as they don’t feel threatened, they have no reason to bite you.
A snake is at its most defensive when you first put your hand into it’s enclosure. At this point a snake is often resting and feels secure until your hand touches them. Their immediate reaction is to go into defensive mode which often results in a bite.
To counteract this, you can first remove the snake from their enclosure with a snake hook. This is often enough to make them realise they are not under threat and will usually calm down fairly quickly.
Breeding
Viper Boas can be put through a cooling period at the start of the breeding season. Once the days start getting shorter (usually around October/November), gradually lower their ambient temperature to around 70F.
You should continue to offer them access to a warm spot so they can thermoregulate. Temperatures can be brough back up again around mid-January. While a lot of people have had great success using a cooling period, other breeders have successfully produced these snakes without a cooling period.
As long as your husbandry is correct, there isn’t much else you need to do to get these snakes to breed other than place a male and female together. Some people will keep these together continuously while others keep introducing the male until they are sure the female is gravid.
Female Boas give birth to live young and the average gestation period is between 7 and 9 months. The size of the litter can vary from 10 – 20 live babies.
Babies should be removed from the adult enclosure and placed in individual setups. At this size, they do well in small tubs with a secure lid.
Health Issues
As with any animal, a Viper Boa is susceptible to a range of illnesses. We have listed some of the more common illnesses that affect these snakes below.
Respiratory Infection
A Viper Boa requires high levels of humidity in their enclosure. If they are kept at a humidity level that isn’t correct, they can get a respiratory infection. With a mild infection, you may notice a bit of wheezing which will develop into mucus. You may notice the snake ‘blowing bubbles’ out its mouth and nose. You will need to take them to a vet for treatment.
Parasites
Snake Mites are a common problem among keepers. While there are many steps you can take to help prevent a mite infestation, it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk.
Good housekeeping, quarantining new additions, hand hygiene and a good quality rodent supplier are all good ways to help reduce your chances of getting mites in your collection.
Scale and Mouth Rot
It is important to keep your snake’s enclosure as hygienic as possible. This is especially true when keeping snakes that require high levels of humidity because humidity and heat create a breeding ground for bacteria.
While your snake needs high levels of humidity, they should not be kept on damp soggy substrate all day. If you think your snake may have scale rot, bring it to a vet and they can recommend an appropriate treatment.
Obesity
A Viper Boa is naturally a heavy bodied snake but it is important to know the difference between a heavy bodied snake and an obese snake. These snakes have a slow metabolism so they don’t need to be fed as often as many other species of snake.
Shopping List
We have put together a list of some of the items you may need if you want to purchase a Viper Boa of your own. This list is not exhaustive and many of the items can be replaced with the brands that you prefer.
Note that some of our recommendations contain Affiliate links but we will never link to a product that we don’t like.
Exo Terra Glass Enclosure (Minimum)
Reptile Hide
Heat Lamp with Dimming Switch
Ceramic Bulbs
Feeding Thongs
Collapsible Snake Hook
