Green Tree Python
Morelia viridis • Order: Squamata; Suborder: Serpentes; Family: Pythonidae; Genus: Morelia; Species: Morelia viridis
Islands of Indonesia (West Papua), Papua New Guinea, and the Cape York Peninsula of Australia.
Look up Green Tree Python in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Non-venomous; lacks fangs and venom glands. Uses constriction.
Danger Level
Low Risk; harmless to humans. While they have long, sharp teeth and a strong bite if provoked, they pose no threat of fatality or serious medical injury.
Family
Order: Squamata; Suborder: Serpentes; Family: Pythonidae; Genus: Morelia; Species: Morelia viridis
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they are threatened by illegal pet trade poaching and localized habitat loss in certain parts of their range.
Physical Description
Bright lime-green body with a white or bluish vertebral stripe and scattered blue or yellow spots. Large, distinct triangular head, vertical pupils, and highly visible heat-sensing pits along the labial scales.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen shown appears to be a sub-adult or adult. Typical adults range from 120 to 200 cm (approx. 4 to 6.5 feet); females are generally larger than males.
Habitat
Strictly arboreal, inhabiting lowland tropical rainforests, secondary forests, and bamboo thickets from sea level up to 2,000 meters elevation.
Behavior & Temperament
Nocturnal and solitary. Spends days coiled in a characteristic saddle-like position over branches. Generally docile but can be highly defensive/snappy if disturbed during their active night period.
Diet & Feeding
Specialize in small mammals (rodents) and occasionally birds. They use a sit-and-wait ambush strategy, utilizing their prehensile tail to anchor themselves while striking.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 12-25 eggs and often brood them to provide heat. Hatchlings are uniquely 'monochromatic'—born bright yellow or brick-red before turning green.
Venom Profile
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
Look-alikes
Emerald Tree Boa (Corallus caninus) of South America. Distinguishable by the boa's much larger labial heat pits and the python's different head scale arrangement and geographic location.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they are threatened by illegal pet trade poaching and localized habitat loss in certain parts of their range.
Cultural Significance
Highly prized in the international herpetocultural trade for their vibrant colors. Ecologically vital as a mid-level predator controlling rodent populations in rainforest canopies.
Notable Features
Famous for 'caudal luring' (wiggling the tail tip to attract prey) and their ontogenetic color change where juveniles completely shift color as they mature into adults.