# Green Tree Python (*Morelia viridis*) The Green Tree Python is a bright green snake that loves to climb trees. They are very good at staying hidden in leaves! - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 4/5 · High - **Habitat:** Rainforests - **Also known as:** Green Python, Morelia viridis ![Green Tree Python](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425735/objects/5671.jpg) ## Appearance The Green Tree Python is a slender, bright emerald green snake, often with a yellow or white stripe down its back and a yellow belly. Its vivid coloration and unique coiled resting posture on branches make it visually distinct among arboreal snakes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Pythonidae - **Genus:** Morelia ## Interesting facts - Baby Green Tree Pythons are born vibrant yellow, red, or even reddish-brown, not green! - Green Tree Pythons can live for over 20 years, making them long-lived inhabitants of the forest! - Their stunning green color provides perfect camouflage, making them nearly invisible in the rainforest canopy. - They can hang completely upside down from a branch, just using their tail as an anchor! ## Special abilities - **Tree Anchor:** Green Tree Pythons use their strong prehensile tail to grip branches tightly, providing stability while they hunt or rest. - **Night Vision Pits:** Green Tree Pythons have heat-sensing pits on their lips that allow them to 'see' warm-blooded prey in darkness. - **Branch Basket:** Green Tree Pythons have a unique coiled resting posture that allows them to conserve energy and ambush prey effectively. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 150-200 cm - **Weight:** 1-2 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Clutch Size:** 5-20 - **Incubation:** 45-65 days ## Diet & Feeding These stealthy snakes are carnivores, primarily feasting on birds and small mammals in the trees. - **Age differences:** Juveniles often eat small lizards and insects, while adults prefer birds and small mammals. - **Primary Foods:** birds, bats, tree-dwelling rodents, lizards - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Sugar Glider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sugar-glider) (*Petaurus breviceps*) — small nocturnal mammals are a common food source. - **Hunts:** [Sulphur-crested Cockatoo](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sulphur-crested-cockatoo) (*Cacatua galerita*) — resting birds are a preferred prey in the canopy. - **Eaten by:** Water Monitor (*Varanus salvator*) — juvenile pythons may be prey for larger monitors. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Rainforest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rainforest): This habitat trait refers to species found in tropical rainforests, characterized by high annual rainfall, high biodiversity, and dense tree cover. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) - [Reptiles & Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles-and-amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 4/5 · High Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash hands after exploring. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Green Tree Python? Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Green Tree Python? 150-200 cm ### How much does Green Tree Python weigh? 1-2 kg ### How long does Green Tree Python live? 15-20 years ### What does Green Tree Python eat? These stealthy snakes are carnivores, primarily feasting on birds and small mammals in the trees. ### Where is Green Tree Python usually found? Rainforests ### How does Green Tree Python hunt? Ambush ### How many eggs does Green Tree Python lay? 5-20 ## Where to spot - [Greater Cleveland Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greater-cleveland-aquarium-ohio) — Ohio, US · Aquarium - [Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/long-island-aquarium-and-exhibition-center-new-york) — New York, US · Zoo - [Capron Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capron-park-zoo) — Massachusetts, US · Zoo - [Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/long-island-aquarium-and-exhibition-center) — New York, US · Aquarium - [Sacramento Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sacramento-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Greater Cleveland Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greater-cleveland-aquarium) — Ohio, US · Zoo [View all places to see Green Tree Python](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/green-tree-python) ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Green Tree Python: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/green-tree-python)