Red-tailed Rat Snake Gonyosoma oxycephalum (prev. Elaphe oxycephala)

The Red-tailed Rat Snake, also called the Red-tailed Green Rat Snake and the Red-tailed Racer, is native to Southeast Asia.

The snake is basically green with some yellow or pale green on the face, usually a black line through the eye, some black-bordering to dorsal scales and the tail is sometimes brown (as above), even a reddish brown (top row right picture), . . .

. . . but is often mauvish/blue grey. Its tongue has bright blue edges.

A non-venomous colubrid, it is arboreal and preys mainly on birds, eggs and bats. It is one of two snakes that can make a growling sound.

They can grow to some 2.4 metres (8 feet). Their existence in the wild is threatened by over-collection for the pet trade, Chinese medicine and even food.