Fun Asian Vine Snake Facts For Kids

Asian vine snakes, Ahaetulla prasina, are commonly known as long-nosed whip snakes. This extensively distributed Ahaetulla species can be found across several nations across East Asia to Indo-China. This snake is easily recognizable by its elongated head and slender green or yellow-brown-colored body. This snake's snout is also substantially shorter than that of its nearest relative, the green vine snake (Ahaetulla nasuta).

Its stunning appearance is similar to that of South American vine snakes. It is a rear-fanged snake whose fangs help during venom delivery. Their venom originates from a gland and travels through their fangs. Due to this, it is a poisonous snake, but its venom poses no hazard to people thankfully. Small reptiles and amphibians, primarily lizards and tree frogs, are prey for the Asian vine snake, which is also known as Gunther's whip snake, Boie's whip snake, and the Oriental whip snake. Aspire to learn more fun facts about this stunning snake? Keep reading!

If you enjoyed reading this article about the Asian vine snake, why not read our articles about the vine snake and gray rat snake too?

What type of animal is an Asian vine snake?

Asian vine snakes, Ahaetulla prasina, are energetic and arboreal carnivorous snakes. Their scientific name in Sinhala, 'Ahaetulla', translates to 'eye plucker'. They have four subspecies: Ahaetulla prasina prasina, Ahaetulla prasina medioxima, Ahaetulla prasina suluensis, and Ahaetulla prasina preocularis.

What class of animal does an Asian vine snake belong to?

The Asian vine snake, Ahaetulla prasina, belongs to the class of Reptilia. They are colubrid snakes that are rear-fanged and are known as opisthoglyphous.

How many Asian vine snakes are there in the world?

Although they have a healthy population, their exact population size is unknown due to a lack of studies.

Where does an Asian vine snake live?

They are found in tropical forests in Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, West Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam and are indigenous to Southeast Asia and the Indo-China region.

What is an Asian vine snake's habitat?

This whip snake lives in trees, woods, moist lowland forests, sections of deep swamps, and jungles. They prefer to dwell in an environment that has a suitable level of humidity.

Who do Asian vine snakes live with?

Asian vine snakes thrive in the wild on their own or with their mate as well as in captivity, if provided with a suitable environment. They adapt relatively well to human surroundings.

How long does an Asian vine snake live?

The Asian vine snake can live up to 10 years.

How do they reproduce?

These Asian snakes are ovoviviparous, meaning that their eggs grow within the mother's body. The mother gives birth when the eggs hatch. They have around seven to 10 babies at a time, and the babies are around 9.5 in (24.13 cm) long.

What is their conservation status?

As per the IUCN's Red List, their conservation status is Least Concern. This species is quite tolerant to habitat change, particularly that induced by human activities since it can exist in a range of environments.

What do Asian vine snakes look like?

The body of the Asian vine snake is slender and it becomes more tapered towards the end. It can either be completely of a solid color, have a broad yellow stripe running down its body, or have darkish green and blue streaks on its scales. Its main color ranges from vibrant green to teal which helps it to camouflage. Its head resembles the shape of a spear, with two big bumps towards the back where venom glands are situated. In comparison with South American vine snakes, which have circular pupils, Ahaetulla prasina snakes have eyes that are yellow with black horizontal pupils.

How cute are they?

The Asian vine snake, Ahaetulla prasina, possesses a great physique and is quite slender. They are quite social and appeal to many reptile lovers. To some, they may be cute, but to others, they might be scary and intimidating.

How do they communicate?

They're timid creatures but when provoked, they toss half of their front body in loops and set their white tongue out, all as a part of their defense.

How big is an Asian vine snake?

The Asian vine snake, Ahaetulla prasina, may grow to be as long as 6 ft (1.8 m) in total, including a tail that is 2 ft (0.6 m) in length. They are double the size of Eastern kingsnakes.

How fast can an Asian vine snake move?

They rank among the fastest snakes, traveling on the ground and through shrubs at a speed of 3.5 mph (5.6 kph).

How much does an Asian vine snake weigh?

The Asian vine snake, Ahaetulla prasina, can weigh up to 2.8 lb (1.2 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no particular names for the male or female Asian vine snakes.

What would you call a baby Asian vine snake?

Asian vine snake babies can be called snakelet, neonate, or hatchling snakes.

What do they eat?

Lizards are the primary prey of these snakes. In the wild, the Asian vine snake diet comprises small birds and animals. Asian vine snakes hunt by moving through trees and their earthy colors help them in camouflaging well. Their tongue-flicking behavior is quieter than that of other species, with their tongue jutting out gently without a forked flair. When they detect prey, they apt for a stealthy behavior and pursue it until the appropriate moment to attack, generally targeting the neck. Their diet can also include rodents in captivity.

Are they poisonous?

They are venomous, but they are not hazardous unless you are allergic to their poison. Toxins are injected into their victim by these venomous snakes, but they do not spread venom if handled.

Would they make a good pet?

Despite their poison, Asian vine snake care requires only a moderate effort and they can be handled by humans. They have a placid but curious attitude and have become a popular species in the snake pet trade. Even wild-caught vine snakes are usually calm when they arrive, which is unusual for reptiles. Because of their placid nature, they're quite sociable snakes that don't mind being handled, therefore they make good pets for knowledgeable snake owners.

Did you know...

They are ambush predators that will stay completely motionless while waiting for their prey to approach within proximity of their rapid attack.

Can Asian vine snakes kill you?

No, an Asian vine snake bite cannot kill a human. Asian vine snake venom is not powerful enough to kill a human.

Can you have a vine snake as a pet?

Yes, you can keep this species as a pet. They can be purchased at specialty reptile stores, reptile exhibitions, or even online for between $39 to $150. A 4 ft (1.22 m) snake would fit perfectly in an enclosure that is 36 by 18 in (91.44 by 45.72 cm) in length. This enclosure must be at least 36 in (91.44 cm) high. Also, owners must get a new pet snake checked over by a vet straight away as they might carry parasites. It is important to ensure that your new snake is well hydrated by bathing it for an hour in tepid water a few times a week. Also, you should add twigs of varied textures and forms to their enclosure to replicate their natural habitat of trees.  A 3:2:2 ratio of cypress mulch, sphagnum moss, and peat moss is required for the substrate. Their enclosure must have a temperature of 85-90 F (29.4-32.2 C) and, unlike other species, a humidity level of 80-90% must be sustained.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other reptiles including the Burmese python or the coral snake.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Asian vine snake coloring pages.