A slender body and elongated snout give the vine snake a regal look.

The vine snake is found in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. While all species of the vine snake have some form of venom they use on their prey, only the twig snake of Africa is harmful to humans. Bites from other species will, at most, cause irritation or, in some cases, an allergic reaction.

Despite the differences between the different species of vine snakes, they all rely on similar traits when hunting. They hunt by ambush and use their natural camouflage to their advantage. Venomous fangs allow them to take down frogs, lizards, and birds.

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Three Vine Snake Amazing Facts!

• The Sri Lankan vine snake appears green, but when threatened, will expand, displaying a black and white scale pattern.
• The African vine snake, also known as the twig snake, has a deadly bite, but due to the construction of its mouth, it can only latch on to a few parts of the human body, such as the webbing between the thumb and fingers.
• The vine snake has unique fangs. Rather than the venom being dispersed through the fang itself, grooves along the outside of the fang allow the venom to drip down as the snake chews.

Where to Find Vine Snakes

The vine snake can be found in many areas around the world. Different species are located in Africa, Asia, Mexico, Central America, Northern South America, and the Southwestern United States.

The brown species of vine snakes, such as the Savanna vine snake, typically live in dry forests and savannas. The green species, such as the Sri Lankan green vine snake, typically live in rainforest areas.

Vine Snake Scientific Name

The vine snake is the name given to any of the species of snakes in the family Colubridae. They include Ahaetulla which are Asiatic vine snakes, such as the Sri Lankan green vine snake, and Chironius, which has 23 species. Imantodes are recognizable by their blunt heads, and Oxybelis is the genus found in the Americas. Finally, Thelotornis is the genus that has a bite that is deadly to humans.

Vine Snake Population & Conservation Status

The population size of the vine snake is unknown. It is well-established and it is considered a species of least concern. The exception to this is Chironius vinventi which is considered critically endangered.

How to Identify the Vine Snake: Appearance and Description

There are many common vine snakes, and their coloring can be bright green, brown, or something in between. The easiest way to distinguish these snakes is by their narrow heads with an elongated, pointed snouts. They also have very slender bodies. Regardless of length, they are rarely wider than a penny.

Their narrow bodies mean that, when kept as a pet, they must be handled cautiously. They are delicate, and, if they escape, can easily become injured when recaptured.

Read about the largest vine snake ever found.

Vine Snake Pictures

Vine Snake Venom: How Dangerous Are They?

The twig snake, an African genus of vine snake, is very dangerous. Its venom creates clotting problems in the blood. Someone bitten by one of these snakes may bleed to death.

There are four species of the genus Thelotornis. They are all African snakes and can be found in the savanna (Savanna vine snake), the jungle (forest vine snake), Eastern Africa (Eastern vine snake), and along the coast (Usambara vine snake).

Vine Snake Behavior and Humans

Most of the common vine snakes are not aggressive, however, they are solitary. If they are cornered or feel threatened, they may strike. The design of their fangs, toward the back of the mouth, and with grooves that allow the venom to drip down, mean that the snake needs to chew, rather than just bite, to inject venom.

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