Thailand Snake Notes

Golden Tree Snake

Golden Tree Snake
Golden Tree Snake - non-venomous snake in Thailand on a lunch table.

A reader wrote in to have a snake identified – and he sent an awesome photo that I wanted to share. The snake is a very common tree snake, called a Golden Tree Snake. They are excellent climbers and you’ll see them on palm trees, and in the ceilings of houses and bungalows – often. They have a strange skill. When they jump from a high tree – they can glide horizontally through the air – and land unharmed. They are sometimes called a “Flying Snake”.

These snakes are common, but, uncommonly fast. They are super-fast, whether on the ground in the bush or climbing something. They are excellent climbers and you won’t believe how fast they can climb.

Anyway – here is some information about this snake submitted by the copyright owner of this image – Kim Briers.

Dear,

Hope you can help me identify next snake…It looks a bit like a green tree snake but I didn t wanna take any risks handling it…shame as i wanted to make a picture with some green background…

1. Location in Thailand ā€“ city, area the snake was seen

KOH YAO YAI

2. Environment found? Near water? In a Tree? On the ground? Under wood or something? On a wall? On the roof?

It was hiding inside a lantern of the hotel resort. We lifted the lantern and it came out really very fast and move up the table.

3. Estimate snake length and girth (thickness) of snake ā€“ was it thick as your finger? Arm? Calf? Thigh?

About 1 meter in length – girth, about 4cm

4. Found during night or daylight? What time?

Around 9.30 am at breakfast

5. If no photo is sent by email please describe the colors of the snake, patterns, anything you can remember.

6. Did the snake attempt to strike at you?

Not really but it was in strike position and could jump pretty well and was really fast. I was hoping it would move in a tree or so to make a nice natural shot but it was so so fast and disappeared under some stones…

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5 Comments

  1. Hi, was just wondering if you could give us any idea how many of these may be in a hatching? In the last few days we have spotted 5 small ones (about 30cm long) in the store room of my fiance’s shop. I have managed to wash them outside so far, but there is a bedroom in the shop where people sleep and even though not a deadly snake we’d like to avoid being bitten. I saw a mature one about a week ago in the same area which seems to have moved on, maybe the mother?
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Kind regards

    Bryan and Nang

    1. Wiki says 6-12 eggs. They’re totally harmless snakes, and they keep the gecko population down to a manageable level. Where are you in the country?

      1. We are about 10km East of Khon Kaen. We have been out today so not sure of anymore so far, but it’s good to know they aren’t dangerous… of course that’s only if my identification is correct. I caught a few snakes last year during the floods and relocated them away from the market, now everyone thinks I’m an expert. I am far from that lol. I find snakes interesting, but I don’t like having the crap scared out of me with near misses lol.

        Thanks for the info

        Regards

        Bryan and Nang

  2. got a photo of what i think is a golden tree snake on a vertical wall on a shallow grove in cement.. dont know how it was holding on there.. is there somewhere I can send u a photo PHIL

    1. info @ this site dot com – it’s in the right hand side column of every page, below the welcome text. Cheers.

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