Striped keelback

The striped keelback, Xenochrophis vittatus, is a species of snake found mainly in Indonesia (Bangka, Java, Sumatra, We, Sulawesi) and Singapore (introduced).

Striped keelback
Xenochrophis vittatus from Central Java
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Xenochrophis
Species:
X. vittatus
Binomial name
Xenochrophis vittatus

Ecology

This diurnal snake is found in rice paddies, ponds, small ditches, and sometimes suburban backyards and home gardens. The striped keelback is rear-fanged and mildly venomous, and is considered harmless; it typically feeds on amphibians, fish, and small lizards.

In captivity

In central Java, it is also not uncommon for striped keelbacks to be kept by children as pets. It has a reputation for being very mild-mannered and rarely bites. In the United States, wild-caught striped keelbacks are frequently imported and sold as "garter snakes", typically "Canadian garter snakes" or "Indonesian garter snakes", but they are not related to Thamnophis.


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