Brown Kukri Snake (Oligodon purpurascens)

Common Name: Brown Kukri Snake
Scientific Name: Oligodon purpurascens
Source: WC
Adult Size: Typically 60–80cm
Native Range: Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and surrounding regions

Enclosure: A minimum 90×45×45cm Viperia PVC vivarium, furnished with a deep, loose substrate (such as coco fibre or topsoil mix), multiple snug hides at both the warm and cool ends, and plenty of cork bark or leaf litter to encourage natural exploratory behaviour
Heating: Warm side surface temperature of around 30–32°C, with an ambient cool side of 24–26°C; a gentle night-time drop to around 20–22°C is acceptable
Humidity: Maintain at 60–75%; achieved by lightly misting one end of the enclosure every day or two and using a moisture-retaining substrate
UVB: A 6% UVB tube run along most of the vivarium's width, positioned so the animal can bask or move within 20–30cm of it if it chooses — while kukri snakes are largely crepuscular, low-level UVB provision supports overall health and reflects their naturally dappled, forest-floor environment
Diet: Brown kukri snakes feed primarily on eggs & amphibians in the wild, but captive individuals can be maintained on appropriately sized pinky mice or small frozen/thawed frogs legs but mainly eggs such as quail eggs; offer food every 7 days for adults, slightly more frequently for juveniles

ABOUT THIS SPECIES

The brown kukri snake is a slender, secretive species found across the humid forests and scrubland of Southeast Asia, named after the distinctive kukri-shaped teeth it uses to slice open reptile eggs in the wild. It's a fascinating and relatively uncommon choice in the UK hobby, offering something genuinely different for keepers who want a species with a real sense of character and natural history behind it.

Day-to-day, kukri snakes tend to be shy and most active around dawn and dusk, spending much of their time burrowed beneath substrate or tucked behind hides — making them a rewarding species to set up a naturalistic, bioactive-style enclosure for. They are best suited to intermediate keepers who are comfortable with a species that may not be on display constantly, but who appreciate the charm of a well-designed, humid forest setup.