Eyelash viper Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Eyelash viper

An eyelash viper in Melbourne Zoo, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Subfamily:	Crotalinae
Genus:	Bothriechis
Species:	B. schlegelii

An eyelash viper in its natural home

The eyelash viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) is a type of venomous pit viper. You can find these snakes in Central and South America. Its scientific name, Bothriechis schlegelii, honors Hermann Schlegel. He was a German ornithologist, someone who studies birds.

What Does the Eyelash Viper Look Like?
How the Eyelash Viper Behaves
- Reproduction and Life Cycle
- What Eyelash Vipers Eat
Other Names for the Eyelash Viper
Where Eyelash Vipers Live
- Eyelash Viper Habitat
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What Does the Eyelash Viper Look Like?

The eyelash viper is a small snake. It usually doesn't grow longer than 75 centimeters (about 2.5 feet). Female vipers are bigger than males.

This snake gets its name from special scales above its eyes. These scales stick out, making the snake look like it has "eyelashes."

Eyelash vipers come in many cool colors. You might see them in green, yellow, red, brown, or even pink!

How the Eyelash Viper Behaves

Like other snakes in the Bothriechis group, the eyelash viper is arboreal. This means it lives mostly in trees. It is also nocturnal, so it is active at night.

This viper is not usually aggressive. However, if it feels bothered or annoyed, it will quickly strike to defend itself.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

The eyelash viper is viviparous. This means it gives birth to live young, instead of laying eggs. A female viper usually has about 10 to 12 baby snakes at a time. When they are born, these young vipers are about 5 to 9 inches long.

What Eyelash Vipers Eat

Eyelash vipers are ambush hunters. They wait quietly for their prey to come close. Their diet includes small rodents, small birds, frogs, and lizards.

Other Names for the Eyelash Viper

The eyelash viper has several other common names. People also call it the "eyelash mountain viper" or the "horned palm viper." Sometimes it's known as "Schlegel's viper" or the "eyelash palm-pit viper." In Costa Rica and other Central and South American countries, it's often called "bocaracá."

Where Eyelash Vipers Live

You can find the eyelash viper in southern Mexico. From there, its home stretches southeastward to the Atlantic lowland areas. It lives through Central America and into northern South America, including Colombia and Venezuela. They are also found in parts of Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, and Peru.