Golden Tree Snake
Chrysopelea ornata
Description 3
INTRODUCTION
- Mildly Venomous
- Other names : Ornate Flying Snake, Golden Flying Snake.
- This species is found in India, Sri Lanka and most of SE Asia.
- Extensive in pet trade due to vibrant and bright morphology.
- Capable of gliding by flattening body through extending ribs.
IDENTIFICATION
- Slender snakes having smooth, glossy scales with bright green crossbands on a black background.
- Head is brightly barred, has large round pupils and a blunt snout.
- Color patterns very geographically from yellow, green to gold and even red. Underside is greenish.
- Grow to 3-4 feet on average.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
- Distributed in the forested hills of Western ghats and Eastern Ghats.
- Usually found on large trees in thick forests. Also found around houses in SE Asia.
DIET AND BEHAVIOR
- Mainly feed on frogs, geckos, small birds and sometimes.
- Diurnal and arboreal, rely on vision and stealth to grab prey.
- Very alert and non-offensive. Escapes predation by gliding across trees, even from large heights.
- Nervous and restless, won't hesitate to bite if mishandled. Venom is medically insignificant to humans.
Other Flying Snakes 3
- Sri Lankan Flying Snake (Chrysopelea taprobanica) : Distributed in the southern eastern ghats near Andhra Pradesh, but rare in India. Usually have black crossbands on a brown background, but other morphs exist too. Rear-fanged like other flying snakes.
Sources and Credits
- (c) seasav, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by seasav
- (c) Vinay Gogula, all rights reserved, uploaded by Vinay Gogula
- (c) Vinay Gogula, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNat Map
| Toxicity | Mildly-Venomous |
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