Green Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis punctulatus)

The Green Tree Snake, Dendrelaphis punctulatus, is a slender, agile snake of northern and eastern Australia. Queensland Government sources call it the Common Tree Snake as well, and place it in the family Colubridae. [1] It can grow up to about 2 metres, but it is usually a little over 1 metre long. [1]

It is often found in trees, gardens and on verandahs, and sometimes even inside houses, and it is described as non-venomous. [1] That is no reason to pick one up, and no reason to assume that every slender snake in a garden is one.

Identification: the name is not a colour rule

The Queensland Government describes the colour as ranging from green to yellowish-green, brownish-green and black, and occasionally blue. The belly and neck are generally yellow. When the snake is under threat it raises itself, revealing splashes of blue between its scales. [1]

That range matters for safety. A slender brown, olive or dark snake in a garden might be a tree snake, but it might equally be a venomous species: the Australian Museum describes the Eastern Brown Snake as ranging from almost black to light tan, with a slender to moderate build. [4] Where a snake is sitting is not a test either. Tree snakes are often found in trees, gardens and on verandahs, [1] but Eastern Browns are also frequently found on the suburban edges of towns and cities and use man-made cover. [4]

For this reason, identification should be treated as an observation exercise, not something to check at close range. Do not move closer to confirm what a snake is.

Australian range and habitat

The Common Tree Snake occurs throughout Australia's northern tropics and eastern Australia. It is found from the Kimberley region of Western Australia to Cape York and the Torres Strait in Queensland, extending down the east coast into New South Wales, and north into Papua New Guinea. The Queensland Government describes it as common and widespread throughout Brisbane. [1]

It is found in a wide variety of habitats, from woodlands to rainforest and tropical gardens. It is often found in trees, gardens and on verandahs, and sometimes even inside houses. [1] The Queensland Government lists the species as Least Concern in Queensland. [1]

Behaviour, activity and diet

The Green Tree Snake is active by day, looking for frogs and reptiles to eat in trees and on the ground. At night it usually sleeps in tree hollows, crevices and foliage. It feeds mostly on frogs and skinks, and females lay between 4 and 16 elongated eggs. [1]

Safer encounters at home and in the garden

• Leave it alone and walk away. If you see a snake, stay calm and, if possible, slowly walk away, watching it from a safe distance. [5]
• Do not try to catch or kill it. Most people who are bitten by snakes are trying to catch or kill one. [5]
• Remember it is protected wildlife. In Queensland, native snakes are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, and it is an offence to kill, injure or take them from the wild. [6]
• If it is inside your home, keep people and pets away, close the internal doors to its room if you can, and call a professional snake catcher. [5]

Suspected bite: treat it as a possible venomous bite

The Queensland Government describes the species as non-venomous. [1] Even so, its snake-bite guidance tells people to assume all snakes are venomous when responding to a bite, and the NSW Poisons Information Centre treats any potential snake bite as life-threatening. [2] [3]

That matters here because snakes are easy to misidentify, and a glimpse or a photo cannot settle it. Whether venom is involved is for hospital clinicians to work out; it is not something to judge at the scene. [3]

For any possible bite, the NSW Poisons Information Centre advises: [2]

1. Call 000 for an ambulance.
2. Remove the person from further danger and keep them still. Do not let them run or panic.
3. Apply a pressure bandage. Queensland Government guidance is to use a broad bandage, bind the limb starting at the bite and continue over the whole limb at about the pressure of a sprain bandage, then splint the limb and keep it completely still until help arrives. Do not remove the bandage, elevate the limb, or let the person walk. [3]
4. If the person collapses or stops breathing, start CPR. [2]

Do not wash the bite, cut it or suck it, apply a tight tourniquet, or try to catch the snake. [2] [3]

Frequently asked questions

Is the Green Tree Snake venomous?

The Queensland Government describes it as non-venomous. [1] Even so, treat any suspected snake bite as a possible venomous bite and call 000, because snakes are easy to misidentify. [2] [3]

Are Green Tree Snakes always green?

No. Colours range from green to yellowish-green, brownish-green and black, and occasionally blue. The belly and neck are generally yellow. [1]

Where in Australia is it found?

Through the northern tropics and eastern Australia, from the Kimberley to Cape York and the Torres Strait, and down the east coast into New South Wales. [1]

Why do I find them on verandahs and in houses?

They are often found in trees, gardens and on verandahs, and sometimes even inside houses. [1] They are active by day and shelter in tree hollows, crevices and foliage at night. [1]

Can I tell a tree snake from an Eastern Brown by colour?

No. Tree snakes can be brownish-green or black, and Eastern Browns range from almost black to light tan. [1] [4] Keep your distance and treat any unidentified snake as potentially venomous. [3]

What should I do if one is in my house?

Keep people and pets away, close the internal doors to its room if you can, and call a professional snake catcher. Do not try to catch it yourself. [5]

References

1. [1] Common tree snake | Queensland Government
2. [2] Snake bites | NSW Poisons Information Centre
3. [3] Snake bites | Queensland Government
4. [4] Eastern Brown Snake | Australian Museum
5. [5] Snakes | Logan City Council
6. [6] Snakes | Rockhampton Regional Council