Ovophis tonkinensis.

(Bourret, 1934)

Coming from Vietnam, these pitvipers prefer a cooler temperature. They live in moist areas under leaves, branches and moss. Herpetologists have found these animals hunting near small and in water streams at 10degrees Celsius. My Ovophis tonkinensis always lay in the parts that hold the most moist. This can be under a piece of Bark, or a layer of moss.
This Ovophis species has the tendency to burrow itself partially in the loose substrate under the bark.

The first year I had this species they would hide as much as possible. After a hibernation of 4 month's with a temperature of 10/12C this changed. Now they would lay under their shelter, with their head sticking out. Next to their head you could see laying the shining wormlike tail. Sometimes caudal luring was seen. When this caudal luring was seen for a few days they would be fed. Now they seem to be more active. Hiding places are changed more and you could see them roaming around at night or after a good watering down of the terrarium.
Another somewhat strange thing about their hunting method. Is that they will hold on, and if necessary use an constricting method. This is probably not done to constrict, but hold on tightly to their prey while injecting their short teeth.
Another trade they show when feeding is the repeatedly stabbing with the fangs when striking an prey item. I have also seen this with many Protobothrops species.

The animals I keep originate from Tam Dao (Vietnam), And have beautiful colors and marking. Captive bred in 2007, hopefully these oviparous pitvipers will produce some offspring of their own in 2012 or 2013. The mother of my Ovophis tonkinensis produced twenty eggs.