Green Cat Snake — Care Sheet & Morphs

Q: How big does an adult Green Cat Snake get?

An adult Green Cat Snake typically measures 1.4–1.9 m.

Husbandry requirements

Green Cat Snake — origin: Southeast and South Asia: north-eastern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Malay Peninsula. Humid forests and forest edges, from the lowlands up to mid-mountain elevations..

Terrarium temperature gradient

Night min21 °C

Cool side23–26 °C

Warm side27–30 °C

A nocturnal forest species: NO intense hot spot. Provide a gentle thermal gradient, preferably vertical (warmer at the top). Heat with a remote cable/panel or with the room's ambient temperature rather than a powerful spotlight. A slight nighttime drop is beneficial.

Enclosure (adult)

120 × 60 × 120 cm

A tall, arboreal-style vertical terrarium, densely planted, with a network of sturdy horizontal and diagonal branches. A perfectly locked lid (an excellent escape artist). Bigger is always better.

Favour height and clutter (plants, vines, elevated hides) over floor space. Provide several shaded areas and dense foliage so the animal feels secure, which reduces stress and aggression.

Humidity

60–80 %

Moderate to high tropical humidity. Daily misting (especially in the evening) and good ventilation to avoid stagnation and respiratory infections. Allow partial drying between mistings.

Substrate

Coconut fibreCoco + potting soil + bark mixSphagnum mossPlanted bioactive substrate

A moisture-retaining substrate, but most of life takes place up high: focus above all on the branches, foliage and arboreal hides.

UVB

Optional

Not essential as a nocturnal species, but low UVB (a 5% tube / Ferguson zone 1, well filtered and with shaded areas) is beneficial for the metabolism in the long term. In all cases provide calcium/D3 supplementation suited to the prey.

Water source

Always available

A large bowl of clean water, renewed regularly. The animal drinks mainly the droplets on branches and foliage: misting is essential to its hydration.

Origin

Colubridae

Southeast and South Asia: north-eastern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Malay Peninsula. Humid forests and forest edges, from the lowlands up to mid-mountain elevations.

Feeding & health

Diet

Carnivore — Lizards, birds and nestlings, small rodents, amphibians (frogs) and occasionally eggs

A naturally varied diet dominated by lizards and birds. Neonates and wild-caught animals are often lizard or frog specialists and may refuse rodents; switching to rodents frequently requires "scenting" the prey (with lizard/chick). Feed every 7 to 14 days depending on age and body condition; avoid overfeeding.

Breeding

Oviparous

Clutch 7–15 eggs/young. Breeding is stimulated by a mild dry-season/wet-season cycle and a small drop in temperature. Incubation of about 60 to 90 days at around 27-28 °C and high humidity. Neonates show a spectacular ontogenetic colour change: brick-red / orange / brown with a green head at hatching, gradually turning fully green over the first year.

Health watch points

Internal parasites (nematodes, protozoa) very common in wild-caught animals — faecal examination and veterinary deworming recommended
Dehydration and difficult sheds (dysecdysis) linked to insufficient humidity
Respiratory infections (excess stagnant humidity, poor ventilation, temperatures too low)
Stomatitis / mouth infections
Food refusal and chronic stress, especially during acclimation of wild individuals

Morphs & genetics

Registry of 2 documented genes for Green Cat Snake.

Axanthic (Hypothetical) super blueRec
Nigriceps (Black Head)Dom

Pairing calculator

Pick each parent's genotype — clutch probabilities update live. Free, no sign-up.

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Green Cat Snake × Green Cat Snake

Probabilities per gene (independent loci).

Expected clutchSelect at least one gene on a parent.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about keeping the green cat snake.

How big does an adult Green Cat Snake get?▾

An adult Green Cat Snake typically measures 1.4–1.9 m (total adult length. females are generally larger and more robust than males; a few individuals exceed 2 m.).

What temperature and humidity does a Green Cat Snake need?▾

A gradient of roughly 23–26 °C on the cool side to 27–30 °C on the warm side. Humidity 60–80 %.

What does a Green Cat Snake eat?▾

Carnivore: Lizards, birds and nestlings, small rodents, amphibians (frogs) and occasionally eggs.

Is the Green Cat Snake a good reptile for beginners?▾

Advanced level. A nervous, quick and defensive species: it rears the front of its body, inflates its neck and strikes readily when disturbed. IMPORTANT: this is a VENOMOUS rear-fanged snake (opisthoglyphous). The venom is weak for humans, but a prolonged bite can cause local swelling, pain and occasionally individual reactions; direct handling must be kept to a minimum and done with a hook. Not recommended for beginners or households with children. Many specimens are wild-caught, stressed and wary during acclimation. Plan ahead: a lifespan of 12–15 yrs.

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