Non-Venomous Colubrid Snakes
The Colubrid is a large family of snake found almost in all continents. Some species are only a few inches long, whereas other may reach over a few meters in length. In forested habitat, these snakes inhabit the trees or the ground, and some species live near water and in caves. Small creatures like rats, bats and insects are part of their diet. Because snakes belonging the family Colubridae are non-venomous snakes, they are harmless to man, however, a number of species have toxic saliva harmful to their prey.
Red-Tailed Rat Snake |
This family is further subdivided into several groups like the rat snakes and the bronzeback tree snakes. The Red-Tailed Rat Snake (Gonyosoma oxycephalum), for example, is striking green with yellowish belly, dark eye-line and bluish-black tongue. It derives its name from its reddish tail tip. Some people keep this snake as a pet because of it beautiful coloration.
Painted Bronzeback |
Slenderer than the previous species is the Painted Bronzeback Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis pictus) also known as the Common Bronzeback. Although small, this species is more likely to be seen as it favors scrubs and bushes near human habitations and may enter gardens. Typical of bronzeback, it has large eyes and keeled belly scales, that is scales with ridges which help them climb trees. The black and yellow lines running down its body easily identify it. An agile arboreal snake, it is capable of extending its body quite far to reach another branch and quickly disappear from view.