These snakes hunt by ambushing their prey after spending many hours motionless. The Gaboon viper is nocturnal and is known for moving very slowly and placid. There are horns found between the nostrils, and the eyes are large, set forward and are also movable. The viper’s head is large and triangular with the neck narrow or around a third of the width of the snake’s head. These marks create a velvety smooth appearance and a suitable camouflage as the Gabon viper becomes completely invisible on the forest floor. It has a large body with rectangle and triangle patterns that are purple, brown or buff. Gabon vipers also have the longest fangs, which measure up to 1.6 inches long. It is one of the heaviest snakes in the continent, which can weigh up to 18 pounds and can grow up to 7 feet long. This viper is found in tropical areas of western and central Africa. Gaboon vipers or Gabon vipers are extremely dangerous but are mostly docile snakes. These snakes will hibernate from 150 to 180 days. When it is threatened, the front part of its body becomes an S-shape so that it can quickly strike.Ĭommon European adders can adapt to the cold and will hibernate during the winter. It will return to the area once it is quiet. When people are nearby, adders will simply disappear to the bushes or undergrowth. The zigzag pattern stands out in males.Ĭommon European adders are not aggressive and are rather timid. Meanwhile, males come in pure gray with black patterns. Females come with brownish hues with dark-brown patterns. Males may be distinguished from females from their colors. The common European adder’s head has a distinct V or X on its back, and a dark pattern runs along with the eyes to the neck to the flanks. There are faint to clear darker marks all over the body, and most specimens come with zigzag dorsal marks along the entire length of the body and tail. The color of the common European adder ranges from light to very dark or brown. The middle body has dorsal scales and is loosely attached to its skin with the lower rows wider. It has large eyes that are equal in size or larger than of its nasal scale. The head of the common European adder is large and very distinct, with the sides looking vertical and flat. The largest common European adder is 35 inches and was seen in Scandinavia. This snake has a thick body with adults growing up to 24 inches in length including the tail. The common European adder is found in many different terrains, and it eats small mammals, lizards, amphibians, and birds. The bite of a common European adder is painful but is not fatal. This viper is also called common viper or common adder and is not really known to be dangerous and usually bites when provoked, picked up, or accidentally stepped on. The common European adder is a venomous snake that’s native to many parts of Western Europe and East Asia.
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