THE REPTILES OF AUSTRALIA - COLUBRID SNAKES

BROWN TREE SNAKE
(Night Tiger, Doll's Eye Snake or Brown Cat Snake)
Boiga irregularis
(also may be referred to as Boiga fusca or fuscus)

"Rear Fanged" and mildly venomous but usually considered harmless.
Young children bitten and/or people bitten by very large Brown Tree Snakes should seek medical treatment as a precaution.
Note that the Brown tree Snakes which originated from New Guinea may grow much larger than Australian specimens.

Night Tiger form of Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at Caversham Wildlife Park, Perth, WA

The approximate distribution of the Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) is coloured GREEN
Note that this species also occurs in New Guinea and has established feral populations in Guam



Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at Snakes Downunder Reptile Park & Zoo, Childers, Qld.



Captive Night Tiger form of Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis)



Captive Night Tiger form of Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis)



Captive Night Tiger form of Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis)

Wild Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at Kenilworth, Qld



Wild Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at Kenilworth, Qld



Wild Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at Kenilworth, Qld



Adult Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at Kenilworth, Qld

Wild Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at Kenilworth, Qld



Wild Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at Kenilworth, Qld



Captive Night Tiger form of Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis)



Australian Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) - this typical form found along much of the east coast of Australia
 
 

Strongly banded Brown Tree Snakes (Boiga irregularis) are usually called Night Tigers and the scientific name of (Boiga fusca) or (fuscus) has been used for this form in the past.
They occur in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Far North Queensland.

Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed in Cairns, QLD


Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed in Cairns, QLD


Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis)

The Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) above is from Cape Tribulation National Park, Qld.



Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) (Captive snake)
This species used to be very common in the pet trade prior to protection when they were wild caught.
However they are harder to get now and are much more valuable.



Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) photographed at the Gorge Wildlife Park, South Australia

Introduced Brown Tree Snakes (Boiga irregularis) have become a serious pest on the island of Guam,
however in Australia they are only a problem to some people that have "pet" birds,
which may get eaten by this species.
They often get trapped in the cage because they are often too fat to escape after their meal.