Is the Red-lipped Snake venomous?

No. The Red-lipped Snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia) 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 Red-lipped Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Red-lipped Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Red-lipped Snake dangerous?

The Red-lipped Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Red-lipped Snake live?

The Red-lipped Snake has verified records in 43 countries, including South Africa, Zambia, Congo, Democratic Republic of the. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Colubridae

Red-lipped Snake

Harmless

Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia

Red-lipped Snake — Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, © B Pulman005

6 photographs of the Red-lipped Snake. © B Pulman005.

The Red-lipped Snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 43 countries.

Family: Colubridae

About the Red-lipped Snake

Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, commonly known as the herald snake or the red-lipped snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Description

Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia can be identified by its olive green or grey body, multiple white speckles, distinctive black head, and red, yellow, white, or black upper lip. It can grow to an average total length (including tail) of 70 cm (28 in), but may reach up to 1 metre (39 inches) in total length.

Diet

C. hotamboeia feeds on amphibians (including rain frogs), lizards, and other snakes (only in captivity).

Longevity

The red-lipped snake has been known to live for between 10 and 15 years.

Reproduction

Adult females of C. hotamboeia lay between 6 and 19 eggs in early summer.

Geographic range

Endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa, the herald snake is present in Zambia, throughout South Africa (except for the Karoo and Northern Cape) as well as Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, southern and central Mozambique, and northern Botswana.

Habitat

The herald snake favors marshy areas in lowland forest, moist savanna, grasslands, and fynbos.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Red-lipped Snake

Is the Red-lipped Snake venomous?: No. The Red-lipped Snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia) 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 Red-lipped Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Red-lipped Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Red-lipped Snake dangerous?: The Red-lipped Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Red-lipped Snake live?: The Red-lipped Snake has verified records in 43 countries, including South Africa, Zambia, Congo, Democratic Republic of the. See the distribution section below for its full range.
What does the Red-lipped Snake eat?: C. hotamboeia feeds on amphibians (including rain frogs), lizards, and other snakes (only in captivity).

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: Crotaphopeltis
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia

Keep learning

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