Rinkhals Spitting Cobra (Hemachatus haemachatus)

Length:

The Rinkhals Spitting cobra is only a small snake, adults have a average length of 100 cm but large individuals may grow up to 150 cm.  

Zoological Description:

Rinkhals can be variable in colour but most specimens are olive, brown or black in colour with a cremish, yellowish or white cross bands on the ventral side of the neck. The belly is mostly greyish or dark coloured. Some specimens are brownish or blackish from colour with on the back white, creamy or yellow-orange cross-bands the ventral side is still dark coloured and these individuals still have the white cross bands on the throut. The body is short and strongly build, the Rinkhals cobras scales are keeled which makes him the only African Elapid with keeled scales.

 Scalation:

-          Dorsal scales on the midbody 19(17)

-          Ventrals 116-150

-          Subcaudals 30-47

-          Subscales are paired

-          Analscale is entire

-          Upper labials 7

-          Upper labials entering the eye 3+4 

-          Preoculairs 1(3)

-          Postoclurairs 3 

-          Lower labials 8/9 (7)

Geographic range:

This species is only known from Southern Africa . It occurs in isolated populations in Zimbabwe and Mozambique . In South Africa is this snake known from the south cape through Swaziland , Orange free state , Natal , Tranbskei , Lesotho and southern Transvaal .

Habitat:

This snakes is mostly found in grassland and moist savanna. But will also live in rocky areas and near humans. They are also known to live close to permanent water holes and scrub.

Captive behaviour:

Rinkhals cobras are often very friendly in captivity and show a nice behaviour. Some individuals stay shy and spit regular, when this snake notice that he can’t win the fight does he turn on his back opens his mouth and let his tongue hang out of his mouth playing death. People are known to walk around with Rinkhals for hours thinking its death while the snake is flaming death. Rinkhals is a very curious animal that always checks out new objects in their enclosure. When scared it will spread his hood hiss loud and raise up 1/3 of his body. This snake is able to spit venom over a distance of 2,5 m. which gives a burning sensation when it hits the eyes.

Feeding:

In the wild do Rinkhals mostly eat toads but also small rodents, birds, lizards and even snakes. In captivity can Rinkhals been fed on dead or live rodents which they often take without a problem. Also chicks and eggs are known to be accepted in a captive situation.

Breeding:

The Rinkhals is the only African Elapid that is live bearing. In the wild do the females give birth to 20-35 young, but as many as 65 babies are recorded. The babies have a average length of 17 cm. In captivity is Rinkhals also been bred but not much information is known. Rinkhals needs to have a sort of hibernation for a few months to give the snakes the stimulation to mate.

Enclosure:

Rinkhals is a active species that likes to have a big enclosure in which they can move around a setup from 120 x 50 x 50 cm (length x height x wide) is big enough for a pair of Rinkhals. As substrate we use gravel with sand and peat, this gives a dry substrate that absorbs faeces well. As decoration we can use rocks, trunks and artificial plants, Rinkhals doesn’t drink allot but they like to have always a water bowl if they want to drink. I have never seen a Rinkhals in a water bowl to take a bath. The average temperature in the enclosure most be 25-32⁰C in daytime and can drop a few degrees at night.

Copyright©2002 Richard Mastenbroek

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This page is not build to stimulate people to keep venomous snakes. All Captive information given on this page is based on own experience.