The Emerald-Horned Pit Viper!

By Derek Dykstra

One of the most difficult questions we can be asked as reptile enthusiasts, in my opinion, is “What is your favorite species?” or more specifically to me, “What is your favorite snake?” Some people may be able to answer that question very easily but I think, for most of us, it is hard to pick just one. For the longest time I gave the non-answer of “rattlesnakes” since they have a special place in my heart and because it is a group of snakes that is more than just a “favorite snake.” However, I have finally found that species, the one that I cannot get enough of, Ophryacus smaragdinus or the Emerald Horned Pit Viper. This is the species that has captured my complete fascination and that I can’t stop thinking about, reading about and staring at. 

In 2015, this new species of horned pit viper was first described to science after being discovered by the Herp.MX team in Eastern Mexico. Emerald horned pit viper habitat is restricted to montane cloud forest, humid pine-oak woodland, and pine forests in the eastern slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental from Hidalgo and northern Veracruz, south to the Sierra Madre del Sur in Guerrero and Oaxaca. Although this beautiful mountain range has survived millennia of human pressure due to the dense and unique climate, it is now in danger of deforestation for agriculture. This means the clock is ticking for this newly discovered species. This is one of the many reasons I am so fascinated with figuring out how to get these animals to thrive in captivity, the mystery and the fact that they could disappear in nature before we even get the chance to learn more about them.

My first introduction to this species was as an intern at Reptile Preservation Institute. I had the opportunity to work with a couple juveniles in the off display room. It was nothing romantic, removing the snakes from tubs to clean and change out water bowls, but out of all the species I worked with, I was captivated by these little horned snakes. Naturally, I asked Cody Bartolini (RPI founder) about them and started researching more about the species. At the time, my knowledge and experience working with montane snakes was very limited, so I was constantly picking Cody’s brain about how he kept this species and about the “Montane Room” at RPI. I was very fortunate to have a friend and mentor like Cody to help answer my questions and teach me more about the ins and outs of keeping montane species. 

However, I quickly realized that even after I acquired my venomous reptile permit, the odds of me being able to track down an available Ophryacus smaragdinus were almost nonexistent. I planned on just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that the RPI team would figure out how to successfully reproduce them and then hope I would be able to convince the facility to allow me to house a couple. This was a stretch, though. Most of the individuals at RPI are likely years away from sexual maturity, the sex ratios at the time on their group were unknown and even then, who is to say the animals would even successfully reproduce.

Despite all this, I still had hope. Then, much to my surprise, I found one. Of course I was completely unprepared from a financial standpoint; I still struggle with keeping a reptile budget. But I felt like if I passed up this opportunity, I may never get the chance again so I made it happen. It wasn’t as simple as making the payment though as it rarely is. I paid for the snake and then waited for shipment which, unfortunately, never came. The seller told me that the animal was acting lethargic and he didn’t want to send me a potentially ill  animal that  may perish from the stress of shipping. I was devastated to say the least. I explained that I appreciated their concern and to keep me in mind as this was a species that I couldn’t let go. This was the dream snake. Thankfully, by some luck, the seller was able to track down an adult female for me and we were back in business. I finally got my all-time collection goal!

I feel it is important to note that even though I have only been keeping reptiles for a few years, and keeping my own venomous collection for less than a year, I have gotten quite a bit of quality exposure. Working at an AZA zoo, wildlife preserve, The Rattlesnake Conservancy and Reptile Preservation Institute; I feel like I have been very fortunate to be brought up under some amazing people in the reptile industry. This being said, I also feel like I can give a fair comparison of what it’s like keeping Ophryacus smaragdinus vs other species. Honestly, they aren’t terribly difficult to keep. I will say, if you want to keep Ophrys, you have to commit to them. If you are the type of enthusiast who loves to keep a large diversity of snakes from different parts of the world and different climates, your Ophry will not do well.

As I mentioned, this species is habitat specific and prefers a certain microclimate. From my experience thus far, if you keep Ophrys at an ambient temperature in the range of 67-72 degrees Fahrenheit, the snake will do great and exhibit naturalistic behaviors. They are also semi arboreal, in fact they are the most arboreal species in the Ophryacus complex, so make sure to provide plenty of perching for them to drape across (think more like an amazon tree boa and not emerald tree boa for perching). The cloud forests of the Sierra Madre are also very damp, so you want to provide a humid environment but with enough ventilation to prevent the enclosure from getting stagnant. This species also seems to do better fresh, clean water, much like white lipped pythons. If you can meet these requirements, your Ophry will do just fine.

Of course, you can always go above and beyond when it comes to keeping your animals; it all comes down to your specific situation. I have played around with my Ophryacus husbandry and I am always looking for more ways to improve. Currently, my female is in a PVC enclosure with a glass door that drops down, the dimensions are 24 inches wide, 18 inches deep and 24 inches tall. My substrate is a mix of peat moss, sphagnum moss, organic topsoil and play sand, in which I have planted small rabbit’s foot ferns, and deer moss. I provide branches and driftwood for perching, Spanish moss as a visual barrier, a water dish and stones to provide different textures, temperature gradients and humidity zones for the snake.

I spent a lot of time looking at photos of the environment and photos of Ophryacus smaragdinus from the Herp.MX team. I used this as inspiration for how I set up my snake. My hope is that if I set her up as naturally as possible, in the future if I can track down a male to introduce, the odds of successful copulation will increase. After talking to other venomous keepers online, it appears they are far more commonly kept and easier to get ahold of in Mexico. Unfortunately, as we know, there is no legal exportation out of Mexico so I will continue to keep my fingers crossed and stay on the hunt!I truly hope that this species isn’t wiped out in the wild but the future for wild Ophryacus isn’t looking bright. Cloud forests and the incredible biodiversity within them need our help. Together, we can all make a difference by supporting conservation efforts in Mexico, supporting Reptile Preservation Institute, Cloud Forest Alliance, Herp.MX, Highlands & Islands, Ranchitos Del Quetzal, and more!