Green is a rather typical color for snakes, but this doesn’t mean it’s bland. In fact, we have a variety of gorgeous green snakes to discuss today, some of which you can keep as pets. And some that you would better avoid.
Without further ado, here are 20 of the most popular green snakes that are essentially different morphs of well-known species.
1. Green Tree Python
Green tree pythons are native to New Guinea and surrounding islands and qualify as arboreal constrictors. These snakes are not venomous and are fairly small, up to 5 feet, matching the notorious ball python.
The snake is quite gorgeous, showcasing vibrant green coloring and several random yellow or white dots sprinkled over the dorsal area.
The python has a rectangle-shaped head with a large mouth and visible head and neck muscles. You can also detect the row of heat pits on the side of the face, which the snake uses to detect their prey’s body heat.
Tree pythons feed primarily on small mammals, birds, and reptiles, which they hunt by ambushing them from their preferred arboreal vantage points.
These snakes are extremely powerful constrictors that can take down equally powerful prey with relative ease.
Green tree pythons are not aggressive toward humans and exhibit a docile temperament, which is why they are quite popular in the reptile trade.
2. Australian Tree Snake
Australian tree snakes are native to Australia, New Guinea, and several surrounding islands, and they are also arboreal.
They often share the same ecosystem as the green tree python and exhibit pretty much the same hunting behavior. But the 2 species are completely different in appearance.
The Australian tree snake can grow up to 6 feet, but that’s fairly rare. Most individuals won’t get past 3 feet due to predation, illness, difficulties obtaining food, human interactions, etc.
While we have this one on the ‘top green snakes’ list, the Australian tree snake isn’t exactly green.
Not always, at least. Some specimens are dark green on the back and light green on the underbelly, but some are blue, turquoise, or brown.
The snake has a long and very slim body with an even thinner tail. The head is also small but with large black eyes.
The snake’s body composition is indicative of a venomous species, which is quite fitting because the Australian tree snake is venomous.
However, its venom cannot harm humans, not seriously anyway, as it’s only potent against small mammals, frogs, birds, and lizards, which make up for the snake’s main meals.
Unfortunately, you can’t keep this one as a pet due to its specific housing and care requirements and venomous nature.
3. Green Mamba
The green mamba is the most deceiving snake on today’s list, and you should exercise extreme caution in its presence.
This snake has all of the signs of a non-venomous species, from its long and athletic body (up to 7 feet), small head, and round pupils. But the snake is among the most venomous species in the world.
The snake’s innocuous appearance can fool even more experienced snake connoisseurs, which often ends poorly, and not for the snake.
Fortunately, green mambas tend to be solitary and withdrawn creatures that prefer to avoid biting. They will hiss, posture up, and even expand their body to appear larger and intimidate their attackers.
Make no mistake, though, this reptile is not known to flee the scene if things get spicy. Instead, it prefers to bite when threatened, and it can inflict multiple bites in rapid succession.
The venom can cause respiratory and cardiac failure, which leads to a swift death.
If you ever travel to sub-Saharan Africa, in areas like Kenya and Tanzania, look for a bright-green snake with prominent scales and a black splash at the base of the tongue. If you succeed in finding one, flee the scene calmly and graciously.
As an additional note, green mambas are not recommended as pets due to their highly venomous nature, aggressive temperament, and predilection for biting repeatedly.
This doesn’t mean that the snake is non-existent in the snake trade market, of course.
4. Boomslang
Here’s another cute, long, and green rope that can end you with one bite. The boomslang is quite popular in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Tanzania, and Kenya, sharing much of its habitat with the even deadlier mamba.
This snake is typically smaller, between 3 and 5 feet, and comes with a slim and narrow body and a very small head.
Again, this snake has very large eyes with round black pupils, which is indicative of a non-venomous species. It turns out that Africa is the land of the deadly and cunning.
This species carries a potent hemotoxic cocktail that can inflict severe symptoms, including tissue necrosis, internal bleeding, and even mental disorders.
Fortunately, it’s a slow-acting venom, as the first symptoms are more likely to occur 24-48 hours after the bite.
This gives you time to look for medical help, even if the bite mark is extremely small. Even if it’s just an innocuous and painless scratch.
Fortunately, boomslangs are not aggressive, unlike mambas, so you should be able to avoid them with ease.
The problem is that these snakes are very territorial and defensive and are known to strike without warning, especially when taken by surprise.
So, keep your eyes open.
5. African Bush Viper
I won’t lie, the African bush viper is as gorgeous as it is deadly. Despite finding its way on today’s list, African bush vipers are not always green.
They typically cover a wide range of colors, between light yellow and dark red, orange, or turquoise, with some green variations at times as well.
But the most amazing fact about this species is that it can sometimes display a rainbow variation, which is pretty much unheard of in the snake world. Beautiful and deadly, they say.
This species is highly recognizable by its elevated scales, which earned it the name of the rough-scaled viper. The head is indicative of a venomous species with a triangle-like shape, a round snout, and large eyes with elliptical pupils.
It’s worth noting that this ground crawler is difficult to spot, especially since it only measures up to 30 inches.
African bush vipers are African natives, and you can find them in west and central Africa, especially Nigeria and Cameroon.
They are ambush predators with deadly bites that prefer to feed on mammals and birds but won’t refuse anything that they can ingest with ease.
These snakes are not particularly aggressive in the wild but will often strike without warning. You can’t tame them either because vipers, in general, are rather feral and antisocial.
This means that they’re rarely if ever, kept as pets, and you’ll most likely find them in the zoo.
6. Greater Green Snake
The greater green snake is an African native, usually found in the lush forests of Tanzania and Kenya. They are vibrant green and possess long and slender bodies with small heads and large eyes with black and round pupils.
If this sounds familiar, allow me to confirm it for you: yes, this one looks very similar to the green mamba.
The difference is that greater green snakes are not venomous, so they’re harmless to humans, especially since they can only reach 3 feet in length.
These snakes are constrictors that feed on small mammals, reptiles, and birds that they hunt on the ground and in trees.
This species is fairly docile and will only bite when stressed, threatened directly, and held against its will. The snake is also fairly adaptable and hardy, making it great as a beginner pet.
7. Spotted Bush Snake
This one is another African native that can reach 30 inches in size and come with a slender and innocuous build. Most specimens are green, with small black markings covering the dorsal area.
The snake’s coloration is perfect for its habitat, allowing it to maintain a low profile to avoid predators.
These slender constrictors are quite proficient hunters that rely on speed, agility, and body strength to subdue the prey.
They are not harmful or aggressive to humans, which is why they can be kept as pets, including by beginners.
8. African Green Water Snake
Green water snakes are widespread throughout South Africa and prefer humid habitats with at least one body of water nearby. You can mostly find them in rivers, streams, marshes, and swamps, but you’re unlikely to be able to catch them.
These snakes are only 3 feet long at most and possess a long, rope-like body that moves with incredible agility. They can also swim fast and disappear from your sight within seconds.
They are not venomous but instead rely on their constricting abilities to subdue prey like frogs, fish, small mammals, and anything else that lives in or near water.
These snakes are not aggressive and will always flee when threatened. But they won’t hesitate to bite either if cornered or held.
Their hardy nature can recommend them as pets, although you need to create a semi-aquatic ecosystem for them to thrive.
This makes keeping them in optimal conditions a bit more demanding overall.
9. Green Anaconda
Green anacondas demand no introduction. These are the largest, most powerful, and scariest snakes in the world, capable of reaching 30 feet in length, up to 12 inches in diameter, and weighing in excess of 500 pounds.
They are literal water monsters that can feed on pigs, antelopes, crocodiles, and, why not, humans. You’ve seen the Anaconda movie, and so have I.
Green anacondas are native to South American ecosystems, where they inhabit marshes, swamps, and slow-moving streams.
You can find them in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, as well as other areas, depending on the snake’s migration pattern.
Anacondas are extremely powerful killers, capable of constricting and killing large and powerful animals.
Contrary to popular belief and expectations, though, green anacondas are not typically aggressive toward humans. They prefer to avoid contact because humans generally win. But this doesn’t mean that they are friendly and peaceful either.
It’s not impossible for a hungry anaconda to hunt and kill an adult human, which we have evidence to have happened on more than one occasion.
Needless to say, you can’t, and you shouldn’t keep this one as a pet. The space this reptile needs to thrive is impossible to manage, and the risks of housing a 30-foot-long carnivorous killer are just not worth it.
10. Emerald Tree Boa
We’re moving on to another large constrictor, but this time not as menacing and horrendous as the previous one. The emerald tree boa is very similar in appearance to the green tree python.
The 2 species are similar in size and appearance, with the tree boa also reaching up to 6 feet in length.
This constrictor comes with a long and powerful body and a rectangle-shaped head with prominent muscles. The snake’s anatomy is indicative of physical strength, which is normal for your typical constrictor.
These boas are vibrant green with triangle and zig-zag or z-shaped white markings covering their bodies.
Tree boas prefer to inhabit the tropical rainforests of South America, where they pretty much become invisible in the green canopy.
Their most concentrated geographical areas include Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil, but you can find them in numerous parts of South America.
These snakes are not aggressive towards humans but can’t bite and even constrict their attackers in extreme cases. So, don’t challenge the boa when in the wild because it can exhibit extreme territorial behavior at times.
Otherwise, the snake is fairly docile and easygoing, which is why it is quite popular as a pet.
11. Green Rat Snake
The green rat snake is quite a large one, capable of reaching up to 8 feet. They are known to inhabit several different ecosystems in the Southern US and Mexico, including woodlands, scrublands, and forests.
These terrestrial reptiles rely on their long, sleek, and powerful body to constrict their prey, which includes mammals, birds, lizards, other snakes, frogs, etc. This species is a notorious rodent killer, which is where the name comes from.
Rat snakes are fairly easy to recognize by their ropey body and long and pointy head.
This species comes with 2 unique features: the vibrant blue tongue and the long, thin, and brown tail. The tail appears completely different than the rest of the snake’s body because the snake uses it as bait. The rat snake hunts by laying motionless and wiggling its tail to mimic the natural movement of a worm. Whoever comes to catch it turns into dinner.
These snakes are not aggressive toward humans but will defend themselves when threatened or cornered.
Despite their relatively docile demeanor, they’re not as popular as pets due to their strict housing requirements and predisposition to stress when subjected to life in captivity.
12. Mississippi Green Water Snake
This snake isn’t quite green, but we’ll give it a break because it’s a water-based species. And most water snakes come with bland and dark colors, which provide them with better camouflaging abilities.
The snake can reach 3.5 feet in length and possesses a thick body with a very long and slender tail. The snake’s head is very short with slightly protruding eyes, giving it a more amphibian look than a reptilian one.
Green water snakes are more widespread in the Southern US in states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana.
You can find it in aquatic habitats like rivers and marshes, but you’ll have difficulties spotting it in the wild for more than several seconds. This species is docile and non-aggressive, and it prefers to flee when sensing humans nearby.
Green water snakes are excellent swimmers that feed on aquatic animals and don’t qualify as either venomous or constrictors.
Instead, they kill their prey by sheer jaw force and swallow it whole shortly after.
13. Smooth Green Snake
Smooth green snakes look as cute as they sound. They’re small, rarely going over 1.5 feet, and possess long and very slim bodies.
They possess small heads with large black eyes, and most are various shades of green, often with yellow underbellies. You can even find some blue specimens, but these are rather rare.
Smooth green snakes are terrestrial reptiles that inhabit the grasslands, meadows, and woodlands of North America. They feed primarily on insects and worms because their small size and lack of strength don’t allow them to hunt for any other type of prey.
Even so, their diet qualifies them as excellent pest controllers, as they consume a variety of potentially harmful insects.
Needless to say, this species isn’t a threat to humans, as they prefer to flee than to bite. Even if they do bite, they cannot inflict any damage.
So, avoid them in the wild and let them do their thing.
14. Rough Green Snake
If this snake’s name sounds like a joke, given that it follows the smooth one that we’ve just discussed, it isn’t.
Rough (Opheodrys aestivus) and smooth (Opheodrys vernalis) green snakes are actually related, which explains their similarity in appearance and behavior.
The rough green snake is pretty much identical to its smoother counterpart, with the only difference being that it tends to have slightly rougher scales.
But the difference is so small that you’re unlikely to notice it anyway. So, placing this species in a different category than the smooth version really only makes sense from a taxonomic standpoint rather than a practical one.
Other than this insignificant difference, the 2 species are fairly identical in behavior, native habitat, diet, and overall lifestyle.
15. Asian Vine Snake
Asia vine snakes are Asian natives, inhabiting a variety of habitats like forests, grasslands, and even gardens, near human settlements.
They are fairly long and slender, capable of reaching 5 feet in the wild, and come in a variety of green shades. The snake got its name from its arboreal lifestyle and vine-like appearance thanks to its narrow and slender body.
The snake also has a long, pointy, and flattened snout.
One of the snake’s most peculiar characteristics is the eye pupil, which is horizontal rather than vertical.
Vine snakes feed on a variety of arboreal animals, like mammals, birds, and other snakes, but they will settle for whatever they can find.
They don’t possess venom or constricting abilities, so they rely on their jaw pressure to kill the prey.
Vine snakes are not aggressive but can bite if threatened or surprised. Other than that, they rank as docile snakes, which is why they are sometimes kept as pets.
The problem is that they are very sensitive and require special conditions to thrive. This makes them fitter for experienced snake keepers.
16. Asian Lancehead
Asian lanceheads are easily recognizable as venomous snakes by their short and stocky body and triangle-shaped head. Everything about these snakes screams ‘viper’ because that’s exactly what they are.
These terrestrial vipers are often green with brown or black markings, but they can also appear tan, turquoise, or brown.
They inhabit primarily Central and South America, where they hunt in woodlands, grasslands, and forests, in vegetation-rich ecosystems.
Their primary hunting method involves ambush and venom, but they also possess a bait technique to attract potential prey.
Just like the rat snake that we’ve just discussed, the Asian lancehead possesses a long, thin, and brown or pinkish tail that they wiggle around to attract the attention of various animals.
One swift bite is typically enough to inject more than enough venom to disable the prey. The hemotoxic cocktail delivers a swift death, making this species highly dangerous to humans as well.
Despite its non-aggressive demeanor, you shouldn’t test the reptile’s limits. These vipers are renowned for their territorial aggression and predilection for biting without warning.
Needless to say, these animals don’t qualify as ideal pets.
17. Green Parrot Snake
Green parrot snakes are very similar to Asian vine snakes in appearance. They possess the same slender body, display similar green coloring, and also qualify as almost exclusively arboreal.
The are several noticeable differences between the 2, though, such as the fact that the green parrot snake inhabits Central and South America.
They have slim bodies and small heads with large eyes. Most individuals have thin black stripes covering their eyes. These snakes are not venomous, but they don’t have any constricting abilities either.
Their preferred hunting method involves ambushing and catching and eating the prey whole. In many cases, the prey is still alive when the ingestion process begins. The snake’s preferred prey includes birds and arboreal reptiles, as this species rarely goes to ground level.
Green parrot snakes are of no threat to humans and require specialized care to thrive in captivity.
So, they’re not fit for novice snake keepers.
18. Green Vine Snake
The green vine snake could be easily confused with the Asian vine snake since they both look so similar. This species is even more similar to the Asian vine snake than the green parrot.
The 2 are almost identical in appearance, with a similar body build and color. Green vine snakes are native to Central and South America, especially in Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico. The snake can reach 6-7 feet in length and appears slim and ropey.
The head is long, pointy, and flat, making this species almost indistinguishable from the Asian vine.
These snakes are primarily arboreal and exhibit a docile and friendly demeanor, so they’re not a threat to humans.
They’re not quite fit for pets, though, due to their extreme sensitivity to life in captivity.
You can help them survive and even thrive in captivity, but you must provide them with specialized care that only an experienced snake keeper can deliver.
19. Palm Pit Viper
Palm pit vipers are small, stocky, colorful, and lethal. These venomous snakes are prevalent in Central America, especially Panama and Costa Rica, where they hunt in rainforests and various other tropical ecosystems.
The typical palm pit viper is small, only reaching 2.5 feet at most, possesses rough scales, and has noticeable skin crests for eyelashes.
The snake is easily identifiable as venomous by its viper-specific appearance. This includes the short and powerful body, the triangle-shaped head, and the large eyes with vertical pupils.
Most specimens are green, but some are completely yellow and brown or carry black or brown markings.
Palm pit vipers aren’t necessarily aggressive toward humans specifically, but you should not approach them. Vipers are known for their predilection for stealth bites that come without any warning.
This behavior stretches across all viper species, no matter their native habitat.
Vipers are generally not recommended as pets, as they tend to be fairly aggressive in captivity. But you can keep them successfully in captivity if you possess the knowledge and resources for it.
20. Bothrops Bilineatus (Common Lancehead)
Simply put, the common lancehead is a species of pit viper that inhabit Central and South America. This species is typically brown, with distinct body markings covering the entire dorsal area.
The main difference between this pit viper and other vipers is the snake’s length. Common lanceheads can easily reach 5 or even 7 feet in some cases.
They possess long and slender bodies that don’t necessarily indicate a venomous species. But the triangle-shaped head and vertical slit-like pupils do. Keep in mind that most common lanceheads are brown, not green.
We’ve only included it on today’s list because there are some green specimens you can run into in the wild occasionally.
Bothrops Bilineatus inhabits a variety of ecosystems like rainforests, woodlands, and grasslands, where they feed on typical viper prey like mammals, birds, and reptiles.
These snakes are highly venomous, so you should think twice before taking them in as pets. Even though they are available for sale in some areas.
Conclusion
I hope today’s list has highlighted the astounding diversity of the many green snake species available worldwide.
Some are constrictors, others venomous, and they all inhabit a variety of ecosystems, from vegetation-rich forests to marshes and swamps.
Not all of them are pet material, but most are, which is good news if you’re a green snake lover.