English name: Happy-Paced Pitviper, Happy-Pacer, Five-Pacer
Scientific name: Deinagkistrodon Acutus (Gunther, 1888). It is a famous traditional Chinese medicine with high medicinal value and is said to have anti-leukemia effect. Folk legend says that if bitten by it, it will die in less than five steps, so it is called Agkistrodon. This snake is also regarded as its patron saint by paiwan, Taiwan Province.
Appearance characteristics: the body is short and brown, the head is triangular, there are buccal pits between the nostrils and eyes on both sides of the head, and the tail is short and pointed. Dark triangular patterns are arranged on both sides, and the most important feature is that the snout has a corner protrusion (the tip of the snout is upturned). The back of the body is generally brown, and the body has dark brown regular triangle markings. This kind of snake has long and big tubular teeth.
habitat: terrestrial/solitary;
Living in mountainous or hilly areas with an altitude of 1-1,4 meters, it is commonly found in damp places with lush forests, such as rocks beside streams or roadsides, and can also be found in woodlands, fields and grasslands.
Adult body shape: about 1-2 meters, with some reaching more than 2 meters.
Primary body size: about 2-22 cm
Relative humidity: 7-85% (Agkistrodon acutus requires high humidity and moves frequently in rainy days)
Food: mainly preys on fish, frogs, lizards, rodents or other vertebrates in the wild, and also eats other snakes and snake eggs.
appetite: general
life span: about 2-3 years
activity time: although I sometimes exercise during the day, I still mainly exercise at night. Like weak light, for the morning faint snakes. Usually, the coil is round, the headrest is in the center, and the tip of the kiss is upward. There may be fire fighting behavior in case of open fire at night.
temperament: unstable and aggressive. Among snakes, it is a more dangerous one. When it is disturbed, it immediately raises its head in a warning posture, but it will not attack at will.
toxicity: mainly contains circulating blood poison. The toxicity is fierce, and the venom is injected in a large amount when it hurts people. After being bitten, the wound is painful and blood bubbles will appear all over the body. A poisonous snake with rapid onset can kill people within two hours. There are many fatal records.
gender identification: the male snake tail is longer than the female snake. A pair of connectors will appear when you press your fingers forward from the later part of the male snake's reproductive hole, but the female snake does not.
breeding: spawn in July and August, with 11-17 eggs each time, and the incubation period is about 3 days. After laying eggs, most female snakes lie on the eggs to protect them until the young snakes come out of their shells.
preservation status: IUCN is endangered/China national second-class protected animals/Taiwan Province first-class protected animals; Due to human capture and habitat destruction, the number has been greatly reduced in recent years.
Feeding: This snake can be deadly, and it is definitely not suitable for beginners. In addition, its different growth stages have slightly different requirements for food types.