One of the most unique and instantly recognizable snakes in the American tropics. Found from southern Mexico through Central America and into northern South America, including parts of Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador, this slender, vine-like snake is a master of disguise and agility in the forest canopy.
Its most iconic features are its large, flat head and big, forward-facing eyes — adaptations that help it precisely judge distance and motion in low light. The pupils are vertical slits, enhancing their night vision. The body is soft brown, tan, or gray, usually patterned with dark saddles or blotches that help it blend into twigs, vines, and branches.
The blunthead tree snake is strictly nocturnal, spending its nights gliding slowly through the low canopy or understory in search of sleeping lizards, frogs, and occasionally small birds or their eggs. It’s an arboreal ambush predator, moving with such caution and flexibility that it can stretch between branches like a rubbery twig, nearly motionless as it scans for prey. When it finds something, it uses a quick strike to seize it, holding on with its small, recurved teeth.
Despite its eerie, alien-like appearance, the blunthead tree snake is non-venomous and completely harmless to humans. Its bite may startle, but it’s not dangerous. In fact, this snake is often more fragile than fierce — its delicate body can be injured easily if handled roughly, and it relies entirely on camouflage and stealth to avoid threats.
Another fascinating behavior is how it uses its flexible spine and long body to “bridge” gaps between branches, sometimes forming a living bridge with just its tail anchored behind. This makes it one of the rainforest’s most nimble and acrobatic snakes. It rarely comes to the ground unless it has to — it’s a true creature of the trees.
Distribution
Argentina
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Colombia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Trinidad & Tobago
VenezuelaAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
