Snakes are one of the most feared species on earth.
They are considered the most dangerous reptiles on earth.
However, the truth is that most of the snakes are non-venomous.
That said we still get frightened and try to escape when we see snakes. The very sight of a snake makes us shiver with fear.
There are about 3000 species of snakes on earth.
They are gradually getting extinct.
Well, snakes are not only known to be dangerous, but they are also known for their special looks.
Yes, snakes can be beautiful.
They can have a unique color and can possess special patterns which look beautiful and pretty.
Here, we have featured 10 Most Beautiful Snakes in the World.
Snakes vary in sizes, color, and pattern.
They can be as tiny as 10.4 cm (long thread snake) in length to being 6.95 m (reticulated python).
Snakes can swallow preys that are much larger than their heads using their highly mobile jaws.
Most of the snakes lack eyelids and external ears. Snakes are found on each continent except Antarctica.
Most of the snake species are non-venomous.
The ones that have venom use it primarily to subdue or kill their prey. However, snake venom is potent enough to cause death to humans.
The non-venomous snakes either swallow prey alive or else kill the prey by constriction.
Here, we have listed both venomous as well as non-venomous snake species which are known for their special looks.
These snakes are so beautiful that you will not stop staring at them for hours.
Here, we have listed Ten Most Beautiful Snakes on Earth.
Let’s get on and witness the list of the world’s most beautiful snakes.
These are the prettiest snakes on earth.
Here’s the list of the most beautiful snakes.
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Table of Contents
10 World’s Most Beautiful Snakes
1. Asian Vine Snake
Asian Vine Snakes or Whip Snakes are a small genus of arboreal colubrids. The Asian Vine Snakes are mildly venomous and also opisthoglyphous. They possess enlarged teeth in the rear of the upper jaw. However, their fangs are not hollow but grooved. The venom flows down the teeth into their prey.
The Asian Vine Snakes belong to the vast native range from Southeast Asia to Indo-China. They inhabit regions of Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, West Malaysia, and Vietnam. They are mainly found in humid tropical lowland forests and woodland, dense swamps, and jungle.
The Asian Vine Snake possess extraordinary and strikingly spectacular geometric pattern on its scales. The pattern gets highlighted when the snake gets threatened and goes on to expand its body. It then reveals the black and white between the green scales. When the snake is relaxed, it shows up a very slender and nearly all green body.
However, when they sense danger, the vine snakes remain motionless and extend its tongue out for minutes at a time. When there is a breeze, they go back and forth with the foliage to add to their camouflage. It’s mildly venomous.
They exhibit the unique shape of the head (spear shape) and unique pupils with which they can easily make distinctions between shapes and detect movements. They show off excellent depth perception. Their main prey is lizards and on occasion, even small rodents and birds.
2. Green Tree Python
The Green tree python snake is a beautifully colored constrictor snake that is found throughout the tropical rainforests of New Guinea, Solomon Islands, the Cape York Peninsula in Australia, and some islands in Indonesia. Green tree python is also found in Florida, where it is regarded as an invasive species.
Apart from the tropical rainforests, the Green tree python can also be found in secondary forests and re-growth areas from sea level up to 2000 min altitude. It shares its habitat with other python species such as the carpet python (Morelia spilota).
Green tree python sport a slender shape and have a prehensile tail that allows them to move around the branches of trees. They have a large head that is much wider than their body. They have thermoreceptive pits near the mouth that help them to detect prey much like that of pit vipers.
They can reach a length of 5 to 6 ft. However, females may reach up to 6.6 ft (200 cm) in length. The males can weigh up to 1.4 kg while females up to 1.6 kg. So, females are larger and heavier than males.
Green tree python is very protective and gets easily agitated. They can bite when provoked. The males become aggressive in the mating season. The females are aggressive while protecting their eggs.
Their average lifespan is about two decades in the wild and 35 years in captivity. They usually feed on small mammals such as rodents and in some cases reptiles. The Green tree python captures its prey using the prehensile tail and strike out from an S-shaped position and constricts the prey.
3. San Francisco Garter Snake
The San Francisco Garter Snake has been considered to be the most beautiful snake species in the world. That, of course, can be subjective, but it’s still a stunningly beautiful snake. As they are so beautiful, some people collect them illegally.
The snake is a sight to behold with bright turquoise stripes that run alongside deep coral and black. The stripe pattern is black, red-orange, and black. The stripes run along its “shoulders.”
Truly speaking, its photo does not quite do the justice to its striking beauty. Its looks are very eye catching indeed.
Large adults can be a meter in length (3 feet).
They go in a dormant state during summers when their ponds dry up. They make use of the rodent burrows. On the coast, they hibernate in the winters. However, farther inland, they remain active year-round.
San Francisco Garter Snakes are active during the day. They usually hunt after dark during warm evenings.
Garter snakes are not dangerous to humans.
They feed on small frogs such as the CA red-legged frog.
Their habitat includes the densely vegetated ponds near open hillsides.
Their predators are hawks and herons, domestic cats, small mammals, and other snakes.
However, the San Francisco Garter Snake is increasingly becoming a rare sight. The snake has been listed on the Endangered Species List.
There are only 1000 to 1200 adults that remain on earth.
They face various threats like loss of habitat from agricultural, commercial, and urban development. There are also cases of illegal collection.
Image Source: Pinterest
4. Eyelash Viper
This snake species gets its name from the very scales that stand out above the eyes.
The Eyelash Viper is both a highly venomous and highly beautiful snake. It belongs to the group of pit vipers.
It is found in southern Mexico, Central America, and also in the northern parts of South America.
It inhabits tropical jungles, cloud forests, and mountain forests.
However, the good thing for humans is the fact that it avoids interactions with people and strikes only when threatened.
As the scales are keeled, they happen to be rough to the touch. However, the adaptation help protects them when they climb the branches looking for a meal.
Their bright yellow morph is commonly called as the ‘oropel’ (It’s a Spanish expression) that means ‘skin of gold.’
Beyond yellow, Eyelash Vipers also come in other color variations such as the green, gray, pale blue, brown, rust, and plenty more variations.
However, the golden yellow is a real stand out.
Other interesting facts about the Eyelash Vipers include:
- Eyelash Viper can reach up to 32 inches in length. The females are larger than males.
- They can be yellow, red, pinkish, green, or brown colored.
- They possess triangular head and have large, needle-like fangs in the upper jaw. They have a slender body that is covered with keeled scales. Their eyes have vertical pupils.
- They are nocturnal creatures.
- It’s an arboreal animal. It spends its life in the trees, among the vines, and on the large leaves.
- It possesses heat-sensitive pits between the nostrils and eyes.
- Eyelash Viper is a carnivore. It feeds on frogs, birds, small mammals, nestlings, and lizards.
- It delivers hemotoxic venom and swallows the prey in one piece.
- The gestation period is six months.
- Females give birth to six to twelve live babies.
- They can survive up to 10 years in the wild and about 16 to 20 years in the captivity.
5. Banded Sea Krait
Beautiful snake species are just not part of the land; they are even found in the oceans.
The Banded sea krait is also known as the colubrine sea krait, or yellow-lipped sea krait is a beautiful snake species found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
It belongs to the family of coral reef snakes.
It is a type of venomous snake. It usually inhabits warm tropical coastal waters, mangrove swamps, and coral reefs. It needs to come to land to drink fresh water and to breed.
It has several adaptations for life among the fishes. It exhibits a flattened tail like a paddle. It has valve nostrils that keep salt water out while swimming.
However, most striking of all, it has venom that is much powerful than that of rattlesnakes. It needs potent venom for hunting speedy fish.
Due to habitat destruction and climate changes the survival of banded sea kraits is now threatened. They are also being used as a source of food and medicine.
Here, we list out some of the very interesting facts related to Banded Sea Kraits:
- Banded Sea Kraits can be 30 to 50 inches in length.
- Females are larger than males.
- Its body is bluish grey and is covered with black bands stretching from neck to the tip of the tail. The whole body is covered with smooth scales. Its belly is yellow or cream.
- The banded sea krait has a small head. Its body is cylindrical, and it has a paddle-shaped tail.
- The banded sea krait spends part of its life in the ocean and another part on the solid ground.
- It has large lungs.
- It leaves water once in every 10 to 14 days.
- It is a nocturnal creature.
- It is a carnivore. It feeds on fish, squids, and crabs.
- Its venom is ten times stronger than the venom of a cobra or a rattlesnake.
- Banded sea snakes can kill humans with a single bite. However, it rarely attacks humans.
- Females can lay as much as 20 eggs in the sand. The gestation period is 4 to 5 months.
6. Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Brazilian Rainbow Boa is an exceedingly beautiful snake that exhibits brown-and-black patterns and sheen of rainbow colors.
These snake species are native to Central, and South America found mainly in the Amazon Basin of Brazil, Southern Venezuela, French Guiana, coastal Guyana, and Suriname.
They are the largest of the several recognized rainbow boa subspecies. In fact, there are nine subspecies of rainbow boa including the Brazilian rainbow boa.
They are a large snake and can reach seven feet in length.
The Brazilian rainbow snakes are considered primitive snakes as they display vestigial hind limbs as small spurs on both sides of the cloacae.
They are primarily terrestrial snakes and are found near water and in humid woodland forests. However, they are also sometimes found in open savannas. Although they possess prehensile tail that can help them to climb, the Brazilian rainbow snakes are not truly arboreal snakes.
They are a medium-sized species ranging from 4 to 6 feet and weigh up to 3 lbs. They have a round body. Their head is distinctly wider than the neck and has three parallel black stripes. Females are larger than their male counterparts.
Brazilian rainbow snakes show a great variation in both color and pattern. They have a soft and beautiful iridescent skin, and hence they are known as rainbow boas.
It is usually brown or reddish brown and possesses large black dorsal blotches down the back. They are considered as one of the most beautiful snakes in the world.
Their beautiful iridescent skin makes them a very popular species within the exotic pet trade.
Their lifespan is about ten years in the wild. However, in captivity, these species may live up to 30 years.
They feed on a small mammal, birds and their eggs, rodents, frogs, and lizards in the wild. In captivity, they feed on rats and mice.
The gestation period is about five months. The young ones get no parental care and begin hunting in a week.
7. Albino Ball Python
The Albino Ball Python is a color morph of the naturally occurring Ball Python Python regius. They are found in the native regions of Central and Western Africa. However, they are still very rare in the wild.
The Albino Ball Python come in a number of color and pattern forms. In fact, the Albino Ball Python is the best-known variant of the Ball Python. It is also referred to as the T-Albino.
It’s a gorgeous snake. They can grow up to 6 ft. They are considered as one of the most popular pet snakes in the pet trade.
They are typically bright yellow or white and have no dark pigments. They have impressive red-eye. These snakes reach sexual maturity until two to three years. The breeding process is a yearlong cycle. They typically don’t bite. Instead, they coil tightly into the ball. They make beautiful and wonderful pet reptiles.
8. Scale-less Corn Snake
Well, it’s a scaleless snake!
They have no scales on their bodies.
It’s a natural genetic mutation that has been witnessed in the wild.
However, they do possess ventral scales on their bellies helping them to move across various terrains.
The first scaleless snake was discovered in the wild in 1942.
They have a docile, gentle nature, show reluctance to bite and sport beautiful pattern on their body. That’s why they have become popular as pets. They are simple to care, as well.
They are much appreciated for their beautiful coloration. They are one of the prettiest snakes in the world. They are usually found in North America. It kills its prey by constriction. They lack functional venom and are useful in controlling rodent pests that damage crops and go on to spread diseases.
They prefer habitats such as trees, forest openings, overgrown fields, and farms, from sea level to 6000 ft high. They are carnivorous and feed on rodents, frogs, and unguarded bird eggs.
Image Source: Thehigherlearning
9. Green Pit Viper
The Green Pit Viper (Trimeresurus trigonocephalus) is a mildly venomous snake that is typically found in Sri Lanka. It is one of the most colorful and attractive snakes in the world. It is the world’s most colorful snakes.
It is arboreal and nocturnal and occasionally descends to the ground in search of food. This sluggish pit viper can be spotted on low shrubs during morning hours.
It is found in all the three climatic zones of the island except in the higher hills above the altitude of 1000 m and arid zones.
It is relatively common in wet zone grasslands and rainforest areas including tea and coffee, and cocoa plantations.
It produces live young in the months of June-July. It sports an effective camouflage and makes every attempt to avoid confrontation. Its venom is quite potent and can occasionally prove fatal. However, most of the green pit viper bites result in extensive swelling and pain.
The green pit viper has green coloration and can be easily identified with its green quadrant shaped patches with black outlines.
The Green Pit Viper has a large triangular head. Its ventral aspect is mostly greenish and has a tinge of yellow.
It feeds on lizards, birds, tree frogs, and rodents. It waits motionlessly until a suitable prey approaches. It kills its prey by venom. The prey is held in the mouth until dead, upon which it is swallowed whole.
10. Formosan odd-scaled snake
The Formosan odd-scaled snake sports strikingly beautiful rainbow iridescence.
It is one of the several species of odd-scaled snake that have the same iridescent effect in their scales.
It is found in Taiwan and southern islands of Japan.
It is harmless to humans. It spends its time hunting frogs, worms, and small prey.
This snake species is nocturnal. When put under light, its whole body dances with colors. So, it’s one of the most colorful snakes in the world.
That’s all in this presentation on 10 Most Beautiful Snakes in the World. If you liked the post, do share on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Plus. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
