Tweedie's Reed Snake

Southeast Asia Snakes

Snakes ~ Reed Snakes ~ Tweedie's Reed Snake

This is an uncommon reed snake that is endemic to the highlands of Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia. As a juvenile, it has a row of orange red spots on the dorsum, arranged in a vertebral fashion. The head is bright orange red in colour while the ventrals are covered with black and yellow bands.

Adults lose the red colouration but retain the ventral patterning. Little is known about its ecology, but it has been reported to feed on lizards. In the wild, it should feed on earth worms, skinks and fossorial insects. This reed snake usually occurs at high elevations of 1,400 m and above in moist biotopes.