Wildlifeof Nepal
Green Cat Snake
Colubrid Snakes
Photo: (c) Chris Oldnall, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC-BY-SA
Boiga cyanea
Basic stats
Diet
Mainly lizards
Habitat
Primary and secondary forest including montane zones, down to coastal forest; terrestrial and arboreal
Range
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India (Sikkim, Darjeeling, West Bengal, Assam), Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand and Southeast Asia
Clutch size
7–14 eggs
Incubation period
About 85 days
Size
Common 115cm; maximum 190cm
The green cat snake is a medium to large, slightly compressed snake with a head distinct from a narrow neck and a rounded snout. The back is uniform green, or green mixed with grey or blue, and the belly greenish or yellowish white. Its long prehensile tail makes it a purely tree-living snake. Hatchlings are reddish brown with a green head and change colour after about eight to nine months. Common length is 115cm and the maximum 190cm (Wikipedia, general species account).
It inhabits primary and secondary forest, including montane zones, and coastal forest at sea level. By day it stays coiled among tree branches, and at night it hunts actively, feeding mainly on lizards, which this rear-fanged, mildly venomous snake can paralyse. It is oviparous, laying 7 to 14 eggs from late winter to late summer, with an incubation of about 85 days. Its range includes Nepal.
Quick answers
- What does the Green Cat Snake eat?
- Mainly lizards
- What habitat does the Green Cat Snake live in?
- Primary and secondary forest including montane zones, down to coastal forest; terrestrial and arboreal
- Where is the Green Cat Snake found?
- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India (Sikkim, Darjeeling, West Bengal, Assam), Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand and Southeast Asia
- How many eggs does the Green Cat Snake lay?
- 7–14 eggs
- How long are the eggs of the Green Cat Snake incubated?
- About 85 days
- How big is the Green Cat Snake?
- Common 115cm; maximum 190cm