Colubridae
Cloudy Snail-eating Snake
HarmlessSibon nebulatus
2 photographs of the Cloudy Snail-eating Snake. © Daten Schutz.
The Cloudy Snail-eating Snake (Sibon nebulatus) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 17 countries.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Cloudy Snail-eating Snake
Sibon nebulatus, commonly known as the cloudy snail-eating snake, is a species of small, slender arboreal snake which is found in southern Mexico, Central America, northern South America, Isla Margarita, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Description
The body colour of S. nebulatus varies from grey to brown with dark brown irregular ring-like crossbands. These crossbands are edged by fine, irregular, beige spots. The belly ranges from white to beige, speckled with tiny dark brown points. The labial scale on the upper lip behind the eye is enlarged. In cloud forests of northwestern Ecuador, S. nebulatus is often confused with another snake, the Elegant Snail-Eater (Dipsas elegans), which can be distinguished by its pairs of narrow vertical bars between which there is a more pale bar, as opposed to the unpaired vertical bars of S. nebulatus.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Cloudy Snail-eating Snake
- Is the Cloudy Snail-eating Snake venomous?
- No. The Cloudy Snail-eating Snake (Sibon nebulatus) 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 Cloudy Snail-eating Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Cloudy Snail-eating Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Cloudy Snail-eating Snake dangerous?
- The Cloudy Snail-eating Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Cloudy Snail-eating Snake live?
- The Cloudy Snail-eating Snake has verified records in 17 countries, including Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador. See the distribution section below for its full range.
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
- Sibon
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Sibon nebulatus
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.