FieldHerpForum

Another Taiwan Habu (Protobothrops/Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus), but this time a fairly large one, and in the open. We found him in the same spot where we discovered the Bamboo Viper two nights ago - a roadside rock wall kept permanently wet by a series of tiny rivulets running down the entire length of the wall. In addition, the roadside ditch at the foot of the wall always carries slow-running, clear water, and the wall is peppered with crevices and drainage holes. In short: Frog Central. From now on, I'll make sure to check this place closer during our sorties!

The Taiwan Habu is a terrestrial viper with a penchant for mice and rats, and thus often found in the vicinity of farms. Like the rattlesnake in North America, in Taiwan it's the first thing that comes to most peoples' mind when they think of venomous snakes. Especially in the countryside, even the smallest medical facility carries habu antivenom.

Over the past months, I've come to realize that pitviper behavior - at least of those I've met here so far: Taiwan Habu, Alishan Habu and Bamboo Viper - seems to differ radically from that of, say, coral snakes and colubrids. Approaching a rat snake will cause the animal to make a mad dash for cover. A pitviper on the other hand will stay where it is, and only start to retreat when you get closer than about three feet, and even then only veeeery slowly, cool and deliberate, as if well aware of the damage it can inflict. (When photographing this snake last night, I kept thinking of Clint in his "Man with No Name" roles). Pick up a coral snake or Dinodon with a hook, and it will thrash wildly and try to jump off. Pitvipers just coil up around the hook and wait for things to come, hand close to the gun holster. (I know pitvipers don't like to fall, but that can't be the only reason for their almost icy coolness, can it?)

I wonder - is this behavior also true for rattlesnakes? From the pix I've seen here, rattlers also seem to be quite cool about having their pictures taken.

I like you analogy from the Spaghetti Westerns. I think it's somewhat true. I've seen a lot of Timbers that could care less about me being 20' feet away, while a Ribbon snake would be hauling his butt out of there.

Beautiful snake! I like the 3rd to last shot!

The cottonmouths around here will not let you hook them without them jumping off. Same with a few copperheads. But that's just here. They will sit still though. Copperheads will let you almost step on them before they strike.

This little female sat in this postion even when I walked up on it. Didnt move once.

Yeah, that's what I keep observing. I met three habus in different places last night, and all of them sat still let me come closer than I really felt comfortable with....so in the end I was the one retreating.

Thanks! BTW, how do you know your copperhead was a female?

Japan also has the Habu and it is my understanding that they are very aggressive. Has that been your experience with this species in Taiwan?
Beautiful photos, by the way.

Because her tail was extremely small and short.

Thanks, xxxHERPERxxx!

darkcloud, I can't really confirm any particular aggressiveness in the TW habu. The three we found Saturday night by the trailside all displayed the same behavior I described in my initial post: they waited until I approached up to about three feet, then slowly crawled off. Only one of them went into a mini-defensive pose, and even that only for a second. Make no mistake, unlike with kraits, one always has the feeling that TW habus are constantly watching you, and that the coolness can be replaced any minute by very efficient and quick defense behavior. Same goes for pretty much every TW habu I've ever encountered.

If that's anything to go by, I'd say those reports from Japan about their habu (Trimeresurus/Protobothrops flavoviridis) are either exaggerated, or they have a different definition of "aggressive".