How to Identify the Blanding's Tree Snake (Identification Guide)
A slender, mildly venomous African tree snake recognized by its large eyes, olive-to-brown coloring, and streamlined arboreal build.
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Key identifying features
Blanding's Tree Snake (Toxicodryas blandingii, also called the Blanding's boiga) is a slender, moderately large arboreal colubrid native to Central and West African rainforests. It is identified by an elongated, laterally compressed body, a distinct head clearly wider than the neck, and very large eyes with vertically elliptical pupils, an adaptation typical of nocturnal, tree-dwelling snakes. The tail is long and prehensile-like, aiding movement through branches.
Coloration & pattern
Coloration is variable but generally consists of dark olive, brown, or blackish-brown ground color, sometimes with a faint bluish or purplish sheen. Many individuals show pale cream, yellow, or white crossbands or blotches, particularly pronounced in juveniles, which fade somewhat with age. The belly is typically lighter, ranging from cream to yellowish, often with darker mottling along the edges. Older adults can appear almost uniformly dark, making the pattern less obvious than in younger snakes.
Head, eyes & scales
The head is broad and distinct from the neck, with a blunt, rounded snout. The eyes are notably large and prominent, dominating the profile of the head, with vertical pupils that reflect its nocturnal habits. Dorsal scales are smooth and glossy, arranged in a moderate number of rows, giving the body a sleek appearance well suited to gliding through vegetation.
Size & body shape
This is one of the larger tree snakes in its range, with adults commonly reaching 1.5 to 2 meters, and some records exceeding 2.5 meters. The body is notably slender and laterally flattened, an adaptation for climbing that also allows short glides between branches. Despite its length, the snake remains lightweight and highly agile, moving smoothly along thin branches and vines.
Range & habitat where you'll see it
Blanding's Tree Snake is found throughout the humid forest zones of West and Central Africa, from Guinea and Sierra Leone eastward through the Congo Basin. It is almost exclusively arboreal and nocturnal, spending daylight hours coiled in tree hollows, dense foliage, or under bark, and becoming active after dusk to hunt in the canopy and understory. It is occasionally encountered in forest edges, plantations, and gardens near forested areas.
How to tell it apart from look-alikes
It can be confused with other African boiga-like or cat-eyed snakes, but its large size, strongly banded juvenile pattern, and pronounced sexual size dimorphism (females are notably larger and often darker than males) help distinguish it. Unlike file snakes or house snakes, it has large nocturnal eyes and a laterally compressed body built for climbing rather than a rounded, terrestrial build.
Frequently asked questions
What color is Blanding's Tree Snake?
It is typically dark olive to brown or blackish, often with pale cream or yellow crossbands that are more distinct in juveniles and fade somewhat in older adults.
How can you tell a Blanding's Tree Snake from other tree snakes?
Its unusually large eyes with vertical pupils, laterally flattened body, and pronounced banding pattern in young individuals are key distinguishing features.
How big does this snake get?
Adults typically reach 1.5 to 2 meters, with females generally larger than males and some individuals exceeding 2.5 meters.
Is Blanding's Tree Snake active during the day or night?
It is primarily nocturnal, hunting in trees after dark and resting in foliage or tree hollows during the day.
Where is it typically found?
It inhabits humid rainforest canopy and understory across West and Central Africa, occasionally near forest edges and plantations.