Red-tailed green ratsnake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-tailed green ratsnake |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Red-tailed green ratsnake | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Gonyosoma
|
| Species: |
oxycephalum
|
 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Elaphe oxycephala (Boie, 1827) |
|
The Gonyosoma oxycephalum, also known as the red-tailed green ratsnake, is a cool snake that lives in trees. People also call it the arboreal ratsnake or the red-tailed racer. It belongs to the family of snakes called Colubridae. This snake is found only in Southeast Asia.
A scientist named Friedrich Boie first described this snake in 1827.
Contents
What Does the Red-Tailed Green Ratsnake Look Like?
This snake is strong and powerful. It has wide, smooth scales on its belly. These scales are perfect for climbing trees and moving across branches. The scales on its back are smaller and smooth. Its back is usually bright green or light green. Sometimes, it has a black net-like pattern.
In a place called Panay in the Philippines, you might find a gray version of this snake with a yellow head! As its name suggests, the snake often has a green body and a red tail. But sometimes, its body can be brown. It also has a dark line across its eye. Its black tongue might have brown and blue colors on the sides. The top of its head can be dark green, yellow-green, or yellow.
-
A red-tailed green ratsnake in Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand.
-
Another view of the red-tailed green ratsnake.
Female snakes can grow quite long, up to 2.4 meters (almost 8 feet)! Male snakes are usually a bit smaller. However, males often have brighter colors than females.
How Long Do These Snakes Live?
Red-tailed green ratsnakes can live for a long time. In places where they are cared for by humans, they can live for about 20 years.
Red-Tailed Green Ratsnake Reproduction
These snakes become old enough to have babies when they are about 4 years old. The female snake lays eggs. On average, she lays between 3 and 8 eggs. This usually happens between September and January. The baby snakes hatch from their eggs after 13 to 16 weeks. When they hatch, the baby snakes are about 45 centimeters (18 inches) long.
How Do Red-Tailed Green Ratsnakes Behave?
The red-tailed green ratsnake loves living in trees. It spends almost all its life up in the branches and inside tree holes. It rarely comes down to the ground.
When this snake feels scared or stressed, it can puff up a bag of air in its neck. This makes it look much bigger to scare away anything that might be a threat. If you meet one in a zoo or wildlife center, they can sometimes be a bit feisty. They might try to strike or bite if they feel threatened. But with gentle and proper handling, some individual snakes can become quite calm.
What Do Red-Tailed Green Ratsnakes Eat?
This snake is a hunter! It mostly eats birds, bird eggs, lizards, and bats. It's very good at catching its prey in mid-air while hanging from branches. If these snakes are kept in captivity, they can learn to eat rodents like mice and rats.
Where Do Red-Tailed Green Ratsnakes Live?
The red-tailed green ratsnake lives in many countries in Southeast Asia. You can find them in:
- Indonesia (including islands like Java, Sumatra, and Borneo)
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- India (in the Andaman Islands)
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Vietnam
- Philippine Islands (on islands like Luzon and Palawan)
The first snake of this type was found in Java, Indonesia, by Friedrich Boie in 1827.
How Many Red-Tailed Green Ratsnakes Are There?
In 2015, scientists thought there were about 15,000 to 20,000 red-tailed green ratsnakes. Because of this healthy number, they were listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN. This means they were not in danger of disappearing.
However, more recent information from 2022 shows that their numbers have gone down a bit. Now, there are estimated to be around 10,000 to 15,000 of these snakes. Even with this small drop, they are still considered "Least Concern."
