Blue Necked Keelback

Snakes ~ Keelbacks ~ Blue Necked Keelback

The blue necked keelback is an uncommon snake found among leaf litter and wooden vessels near the banks of streams in lowland rainforest. It has also been reported to occur in disturbed wetlands and plantations. This snake is active during the day or night, and can be found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Borneo in Southeast Asia.

This snake is attractively coloured in a rich orange hue, with a dark vertebral stripe that splits into a chevron-like patch on the nape. The sides of the neck is whitish blue while the head is completely orange. The ventrals are pinkish white; small dark spots occur along the ventrolaterals. When threatened, it can flare up its neck to mimic a cobra hood. Little is known about the ecology of this snake but it is believed to feed on frogs and fish.