Mandarin rat snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mandarin rat snake |
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| Genus: |
Euprepiophis
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| Species: |
mandarinus
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The mandarin rat snake (Euprepiophis mandarinus) is a cool snake found only in Asia. It's not venomous, so it's safe for people. This snake is a type of colubrid snake. It's a close cousin to the Japanese forest rat snake. Many people like to keep mandarin rat snakes as pets.
What Does It Look Like?
The mandarin rat snake is not very big. It grows up to about 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) long. This length includes its body and tail.
Where Do They Live?
Mandarin rat snakes live in many parts of Asia. You can find them in countries like India (specifically Arunachal Pradesh), Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. They also live on the island of Taiwan.
A large number of them live in China. They are found in many Chinese areas, including Anhui, Beijing, Chongqing, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shanghai, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin, Tibet, Yunnan, and Zhejiang.
The first time this snake was officially described was in 1842. It was found on Zhoushan island in China.
How Do They Live?
The mandarin rat snake is a bit shy. It often hides in rodent burrows. These burrows give the snake a safe place to stay.
This snake mostly eats small rodents. It likes places that are cooler, not too hot. Mandarin rat snakes are most active during dawn and dusk. They can live in many different places, from sea level all the way up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) high mountains.
