reptilefacts:

fortheloveofherpetology: Indian Trinket Snake (commonly accepted: Coelognathus helena helena) (previous: Elaphe helena helena)

  • The Trinket snake inhabits most of India where it is commonly found in coastal regions
  • It can be found between sea level and at altitudes up to around 900m, where it has a preference for scrub areas at the edge of rain forests, rice fields, plantations and the edges of meadows, especially in the vicinity of water like irrigation ditches or small pools
  • They have also been found sheltering in termite mounds, rock piles and crevices, and in the cooler months observed resting in bushes and small trees with heavy foliage
  • This snake gets it’s scientific names from the Daughter of Zeus in Greek Mythology, Helena. Who was famed for being the most beautiful woman in Greek mythology
  • There are two subspecies of the Indian Trinket snake, the nominate form (Coelognathus helena helena) and the Collared or Montane Trinket Snake (C. h. monticollaris)
  • First described in 1803 by DAUDIN, this species has formerly been known by a variety of names, but was first known by the more well known name of Elaphe helena (Minton) in 1943
  • In the wild their diet consists of small lizards, frogs, insects, and small mammals as well as birds and their young
  • They can be both diurnal and crepuscular/nocturnal in summer months
  • Trinket snakes are sexually dimorphic with females generally attaining lengths of between four and five foot, although bigger specimens up to 5 and a half foot have been recorded. Males are small in comparison and generally only reach three foot
  • Trinket snakes are fairly prolific and will lay eggs all year round, with approx 3-12 eggs in each clutch and an average of 4 clutches per year
  • Trinket Snakes have quite an intimidating display where they ‘S’ up, inflating their throat and a gape exposing the black lining to their mouth

I do not own these images or this information

107 notes
Posted on Thursday, 7 June
Reblogged from: reptilefacts
Posted by: fortheloveofherpetology
  1. mistsonfire reblogged this from fortheloveofherpetology
  2. webherps reblogged this from reptiglo
  3. buythetickettakethecannoli reblogged this from hobbitology
  4. hobbitology reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  5. sapphicsnorlax reblogged this from queerquilava
  6. queerquilava reblogged this from reptiglo
  7. genocidertohru reblogged this from reptiglo
  8. ghostwarning reblogged this from reptiglo
  9. reptiglo reblogged this from reptilefacts
  10. queeflaqueefah reblogged this from reptilefacts
  11. somethingcrowbars reblogged this from dearest-friend-sucre
  12. dearest-friend-sucre reblogged this from hearthevoices
  13. hearthevoices reblogged this from reptilefacts
  14. reptilefacts reblogged this from fortheloveofherpetology and added:
    Indian Trinket Snake (commonly accepted: Coelognathus helena helena) (previous: Elaphe helena helena)
  15. kunico reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  16. moontiger5 reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  17. cutesnakes reblogged this from fortheloveofherpetology
  18. omniacausafiuntt reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  19. blergspott reblogged this from rhamphotheca and added:
    Snakes are cute guys!
  20. needwesaymore reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  21. yangkisulaeman reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  22. fagolicious-yura reblogged this from kiya-amaya
  23. cryrabbitcry reblogged this from rhamphotheca