Pareidae
Chinese Slug Snake
HarmlessPareas chinensis
4 photographs of the Chinese Slug Snake. © Lawrence Hylton.
The Chinese Slug Snake (Pareas chinensis) is a non-venomous snake in the Pareidae family, recorded in 2 countries.
- Family
- Pareidae
About the Chinese Slug Snake
The Chinese Slug Snake belongs to the Pareidae family, slug-eating snakes. Snail and slug specialists with lopsided jaws.
Pareid snakes are slow, harmless, mostly nocturnal snakes that eat snails and slugs. Many have asymmetric jaws, with more teeth on one side, an adaptation for extracting snails from right-coiling shells.
Its genus, Pareas, covers slug-eating snakes. Small, slow-moving Asian snakes built to pull snails and slugs from their shells.
The Chinese Slug Snake is non-venomous and harmless to people. Like most snakes it is a quiet predator that helps keep rodents and other small prey in check.
It has been recorded in China and Hong Kong.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Chinese Slug Snake
- Is the Chinese Slug Snake venomous?
- No. The Chinese Slug Snake (Pareas chinensis) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
- Is the Chinese Slug Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Chinese Slug Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Chinese Slug Snake dangerous?
- The Chinese Slug Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Chinese Slug Snake live?
- The Chinese Slug Snake has verified records in 2 countries, including China, Hong Kong. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Pareidae snakes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
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. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.