Rice Paddy Snake

Common name of a snake with the scientific designation Hypsiscopus plumbea and known in Thai as ngu pling (งูปลิง), literally ‘leech snake’. It has countershading colouration, with a dark olive brownish to grey upper body that may have dark spots along the vertebral line, and light coloured, i.e. white to yellowish, at the bottom. It is classified as an aquatic snake, meaning its spends most of its live in water, where it feeds mostly on frogs, small fish, and occasionally small lizards. It is a relatively small, peaceful snake, that is only mildly venomous, with no effect nor danger to humans. If threatened, it will protect itself by curling up, yet is able to spring far and high, and can bite quickly. This snake is viviparous, i.e. it reproduces by giving birth to live young, rather than laying eggs. Rice Paddy Snakes are endemic to South Asia and are also known as Grey Water Snake, Boie's Mud Snake, Yellow-bellied Water Snake, Lead Water Snake, and Plumbeous Water Snake. WATCH VIDEO, or VIDEO (EN). 回