Colubridae
Thackeray's cat snake
HarmlessBoiga thackerayi
6 photographs of the Thackeray's cat snake. © @dineshphotography7797.
The Thackeray's cat snake (Boiga thackerayi) is a rear-fanged, mildly venomous snake in the Colubridae family.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Thackeray's cat snake
Boiga thackerayi, or Thackeray's cat snake, is arboreal, mostly seen close to forest streams, and is active during the night. It is rear fanged and is known to grow up to three feet in length. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, India.
Etymology
The epithet, thackerayi, is in honor of Indian conservationist and wildlife researcher Tejas Thackeray.
Geographic range
Boiga thackerayi is described from Koyna region of Satara district in western Maharashtra, India.
It can be found from the mid-high elevation of western ghats in the States of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala.
Diet
It feeds on eggs of Humayun's night frog (Nyctibatrachus humayuni). This behavior was never reported in cat snakes from the Western Ghats earlier.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Thackeray's cat snake
- Is the Thackeray's cat snake venomous?
- The Thackeray's cat snake (Boiga thackerayi) 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 Thackeray's cat snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Thackeray's cat snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Thackeray's cat snake dangerous?
- The Thackeray's cat snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- What does the Thackeray's cat snake eat?
- It feeds on eggs of Humayun's night frog (Nyctibatrachus humayuni). This behavior was never reported in cat snakes from the Western Ghats earlier.
- Why is it called the Thackeray's cat snake?
- The epithet, thackerayi, is in honor of Indian conservationist and wildlife researcher Tejas Thackeray.
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 thackerayi
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.