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Colubridae

Confusing Egg Eater

Harmless

Dasypeltis confusa

Confusing Egg Eater
Dasypeltis confusa, © Robert Taylor
Confusing Egg EaterConfusing Egg EaterConfusing Egg Eater

4 photographs of the Confusing Egg Eater. © Robert Taylor.

The Confusing Egg Eater (Dasypeltis confusa) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 21 countries.

Family
Colubridae

About the Confusing Egg Eater

Dasypeltis confusa, commonly known as the confusing egg-eater or the diamond-back egg-eater, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Africa.

Geographic range

D. confusa is found in Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.

Habitat

The preferred habitat of D. confusa is savanna at altitudes of 500–1,200 m (1,600–3,900 ft).

Reproduction

D. confusa is oviparous.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Confusing Egg Eater

Is the Confusing Egg Eater venomous?
No. The Confusing Egg Eater (Dasypeltis confusa) 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 Confusing Egg Eater poisonous?
Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Confusing Egg Eater is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Confusing Egg Eater dangerous?
The Confusing Egg Eater is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Confusing Egg Eater live?
The Confusing Egg Eater has verified records in 21 countries, including Central African Republic, Ghana, Senegal. 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
Dasypeltis
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
Dasypeltis confusa

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.