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White-bellied carpet viper
Echis leucogaster
A highly venomous viper species native to the African Sahel. It is prominently recognized by its immaculate white belly and signature, hostile saw-scaled threat display.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Viperidae
Subfamily:Viperinae
Genus:Echis
Species:Echis leucogaster
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
40 - 60 %
Day temperature
26 - 32 °C
Ambient temperature
26 - 32 °C
Night temperature
20 - 22 °C
Basking spot
36 - 38 °C
Adult size
87 cm
Minimum enclosure
>= 150 L
UVB
Medium
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Echis leucogaster is native to West and Northwest Africa, with a distribution extending across the Sahelian zone, including Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and parts of southern Algeria. It inhabits semi-arid grasslands, dry savannas, shrubby steppes, clay plains, and dry sandy riverbeds. This species prefers areas with some low vegetation and shrub cover over barren sand dunes, seeking shelter under stones, fallen branches, and thorny bushes.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belonging to the family Viperidae, subfamily Viperinae, and the genus Echis. First described by Roman in 1972 as a subspecies, it was later elevated to full species status due to consistent genetic and morphological differences. The name 'leucogaster' refers to its immaculate white belly, which serves as a key diagnostic character distinguishing it from Echis carinatus and Echis ocellatus in molecular studies.
Behavior and Habits: Primarily nocturnal, emerging at dusk to hunt for prey. When threatened, it performs the characteristic warning behavior of stridulation by rubbing its oblique, serrated lateral scales together, producing a dry, sizzling warning hiss. It is a fast and irritable snake, highly prone to defensive biting if disturbed. It is mainly terrestrial but may climb low shrubs for thermoregulation.
Morphology: This is a medium-sized viper, reaching an adult total length of 30 to 70 centimeters. The body is relatively robust, with a distinctly triangular head covered in small scales and separated from the neck by a narrow collar. The eyes are moderately large with vertically elliptical pupils. Coloration consists of a greyish, brownish, or reddish background with dark transverse bands, while the belly is immaculate white or cream.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Must be housed individually in a locked, secure desert terrarium measuring at least 80x50x50 cm. The substrate should be a dry mixture of fine sand and clay soil (5 cm deep) to allow natural movement. Heavy, stable hides such as plastic caves, hollow cork logs, and flat stones must be provided in both the warm and cool zones to facilitate proper thermoregulation.
Lighting and Heating: Provide a daytime temperature of 25-27°C (77-81°F) at the cool end and 32-34°C (90-93°F) at the warm end, with a focused basking spot of 36-38°C (97-100°F) under a guarded heat bulb. Turn off all heating at night to allow temperatures to drop to 20-22°C (68-72°F). A 5.0 UVB bulb is recommended to regulate photoperiod and support calcium absorption.
Humidity and Hydration: Keep relative humidity low, between 30% and 40%. Elevated humidity levels will lead to scale rot and fatal respiratory infections. Provide a heavy, non-tip water dish in the cool zone and clean it daily. A plastic hide containing damp sphagnum moss should be placed in the enclosure during shedding cycles to prevent incomplete shedding.
Feeding and Supplementation: In captivity, they feed on fully thawed mice of appropriate size, offered only using long metal feeding tongs. Adults should be fed once every 10 to 12 days. Preys must be dusted with calcium and vitamin D3 powder once a month to prevent metabolic bone disease. Avoid overfeeding, as their sedentary nature in captivity can lead to fatty liver disease.
Compatibility: Strictly solitary. Do not house multiple specimens together, as this causes severe stress and carries a risk of cannibalism. Since this species possesses a highly toxic hemotoxic and necrotizing venom that is dangerous to humans, it must never be handled directly. Always use professional snake hooks, feeding tongs, and secure shift boxes.
Health and Common Diseases: Vulnerable to respiratory infections from high humidity, scale rot from damp substrate, and mite infestations. Bite incidents are critical medical emergencies requiring immediate antivenom administration. All tank cleaning and maintenance must be performed with the snake safely secured in a separate transport box beforehand.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Echis leucogaster is native to West and Northwest Africa, with a distribution extending across the Sahelian zone, including Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and parts of southern Algeria. It inhabits semi-arid grasslands, dry savannas, shrubby steppes, clay plains, and dry sandy riverbeds. This species prefers areas with some low vegetation and shrub cover over barren sand dunes, seeking shelter under stones, fallen branches, and thorny bushes.
Origin
Africa and Madagascar
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 87 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 87 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 87 cm for this species, recorded as total length (TL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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