Green Tree Racer

Southeast Asia Snakes

Snakes ~ Rat Snakes ~ Green Tree Racer

The green tree racer, sometimes called the green bamboo rat snake, is a small-bodied arboreal and diurnal rat snake species that occupies lowland to mid-level rainforest. Elaphe prasina has a completely green colouration except the ventrals, which are yellowish. Bluish or sometimes completely blue specimens have been discovered in the past. Peninsular Malaysia populations have blue irises.

Shy and secretive, this rare rat snake enjoys high humidity in its rainforest habitat and has been discovered inside tree holes filled with water. Captive specimens have been observed to comfortably digest only relatively small prey items. It is assumed that they hunt only very small mammals and birds in the wild. Green tree racers are distributed widely across the northern part of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam all the way up to India and China but is considered uncommon within its range.