Brown Tree Snake
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Boiga irregularis or the Brown Tree Snake
The brown tree snake is a nocturnal (night time) hunter, with its big, beautiful cat-like eyes giving it excellent vision. These eyes are also the reason its also called a night tiger or doll's eye snake. The brown tree snake has a very slender body that can reach 2 metres in length, though on average they grow to about 1.4 metres in length. The brown tree snake is a rear-fanged venomous snake. The venom is very weak, with bites normally resulting in nothing more than a headache. Because of its brown colour this animal is often confused with dangerously venomous snakes.
They hunt for a variety of foods, including lizards, frogs, and birds. Hunting at night allows the snake to catch dragon lizards as they sleep on thin tree branches. The brown tree snake is an egg layer, producing from 4 to 10 eggs. It is the brown tree snake that has become a feral pest on the island of Guam. After hitching rides with the Airforce cargo planes during the 2nd World War, these snakes found the climate and food to their liking. The brown tree snake has bred up to such numbers that they have all but wiped out most species of bird on the Island.
Did you know...
- The brown tree snake is a nocturnal (night time) hunter, with its big, beautiful cat-like eyes giving it excellent vision.
- The brown tree snake is a rear-fanged venomous snake.
- The venom is very weak, with bites normally resulting in nothing more than a headache.
- Australia has its fair share of feral animals (such as cane toads and rabbits), but did you know that some of our native animals have become pests overseas?
- Brown tree snakes are a major pest on the island of Guam. After hitching a ride in US Airforce cargo planes during the 2nd World War, the snakes found the climate and food to their liking.
Where to find Brown Tree Snakes in Australia:
