Colubridae
Black-headed Cat Snake
HarmlessBoiga nigriceps
6 photographs of the Black-headed Cat Snake. © Jay Paroline.
The Black-headed Cat Snake (Boiga nigriceps) is a rear-fanged, mildly venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 5 countries.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Black-headed Cat Snake
Boiga nigriceps (black-headed cat snake) is a species of colubrid snake from South-East Asia. They are large snakes; adults may attain a total length of 1.75 m (5+1⁄2 ft).
Description
It gets its name from the greenish to blackish coloration of its head. Neonates and juveniles do not exhibit this dark color on the head until adulthood. The body color ranges greatly from brown, orange, red, and even black. The ventral region of the snake is yellowish below the neck and white for the rest.
Subspecies
Two subspecies are recognized:
Boiga nigriceps nigriceps (Günther, 1863)
Boiga nigriceps brevicauda Smith, 1926
Distribution
Indonesia, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand.
Habitat
The black-headed cat snake is arboreal, but frequently comes down to the ground in search of prey. They occupy lowland and mid-elevation tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia.
Venom
Little is known about the black-headed cat snake's venom toxicity on humans, but it is thought to be comparable to the severity of a copperhead. This rear fanged colubrid's bite rarely results in adverse effects due to its poor venom delivery system. Luckily their fangs' positioning doesn't result in any significant envenomation.
Symptoms tend to stay localized to the envenomation site, limiting the victim to minor pain.
Diet
The black-headed cat snake feeds on lizards, frogs, birds, small mammals and other snakes in the wild.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Black-headed Cat Snake
- Is the Black-headed Cat Snake venomous?
- The Black-headed Cat Snake (Boiga nigriceps) is rear-fanged and only mildly venomous. It is not considered dangerous to humans (its venom is weak and its fangs sit at the back of the mouth) but a bite can cause local swelling or irritation, so it should not be handled.
- Is the Black-headed Cat Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Black-headed Cat Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Black-headed Cat Snake dangerous?
- The Black-headed Cat Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Black-headed Cat Snake live?
- The Black-headed Cat Snake has verified records in 5 countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- What does the Black-headed Cat Snake eat?
- The black-headed cat snake feeds on lizards, frogs, birds, small mammals and other snakes in the wild.
Where it is found
More Colubridae snakes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
- OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
- Squamata
- FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
- Colubridae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Boiga
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Boiga nigriceps
Keep learning
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
- How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.