Care Sheet for the Green Headed Blue Eyed Catsnake

(Boiga cyanea)

Distribution:
Boiga cyanea has a very large distribution; it can be found from Northern India all
the way to China where it can be found in Kambodscha, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam
and in parts of the Malay Peninsula.
Habitat:
Boiga cyanea occurs in many different habitats found both at sea level and all the
way up into the highlands up to 2100m. It is almost completely arboreal and can
be found in small low shrubs, as well as the much taller trees. They are
frequently found in close proximity to water and often in or around planted fields.
Their coloration gives them excellent camouflage making them very difficult to
find. These beautiful snakes are nocturnal hunters and spend most of the
daylight hours curled up in a tree hole or entwined on branches or in the forks of
tree branches. When active at night they are extremely fast and eagerly hunt
down small lizards, small birds and possible small rodents.
Description:
Boiga cyanea reaches 90-150cm when adult, though specimens of 2m are not
unknown. Its adult coloration is a beautiful green with a bluish cast to it. The belly
is white to a light yellow. The eyes are a blue turquoise with catlike elliptical
(vertical) pupils. Hence the common name of "Green Headed Blue Eyed

Catsnake". Juveniles are totally different the body from the neck to the tail is redbrown, the head is emerald green, the lips edged yellow, and the inside of the
mouth is black. The eyes are large and seem to stick out at the side of the head
and the brightest blue. It takes them from 8-14 months to go from the juvenile
colouring to the adult going through greyish-red body coloration.
Venom:
The poison of Boiga cyanea resembles that of other Boigas, though it is usually
much weaker than say that of the better known Boiga dendrophila. A bite from
Boiga cyanea is normally of no problem to adult humans and is no worse then a
bee or wasp sting. It can be dangerous if the person bitten has an allergic
reaction to the bite. Boiga cyanea has very small teeth that are right in the back
of the throat that you would not normally come into contact with.
Husbandry:
Boiga cyanea does best in as natural as possible vivarium. This should have
plenty of branches for climbing with some hiding places; I find two or three tennis
balls with a 2" hole placed around the vivarium works well. They require a
temperature of 26-32C with a nightly drop to 22-24C. In their natural habitat
they are used to a reasonably high humidity so the Vivarium should be in the 6090% humidity. I have found that this Boiga loves being sprayed with lukewarm
water at night when they are active and will drink the water droplets from the
walls or plants in the vivarium. I always keep a bowl of water on a small spider
heat mat sealed in a plastic bag, which keeps the humidity high. I have also
noticed the Boiga bathing and drinking from this bowl.
Feeding:
Boiga cyanea naturally feed on frogs, toads, smaller rodents and also on small
birds. In the vivarium it is easier to feed them on small mice. Hatchlings will take
pinkie mice though they may have to be assisted by teasing them with the
pinkies and making them snap at them. I have had little problem in getting them
to feed, though I have found it better to feed in the evenings by hiding the defrost
mouse in the branches for them to hunt. With difficult feeders I have found that
scenting with a lizard or chick helps, you can also scent with chicken broth or
stock.
Breeding:
A male and female of as near the same size is required, as they are known to be
cannibalistic. Also a laying box of moist peat vermiculite or moss is needed for
the female to lay her eggs. Eggs are laid approximately 42-50 days after mating
and lay 7-14 eggs. The eggs measure 40mm x 25mm when laid. The eggs hatch
out in approximately 85 days at 28C.
Some people have had low hatch rates when the young have not managed to
break out of the eggs. The reason for this is that they have been feeding their
Boiga on mice and the egg shells have been too thick for the young to be able to
break out. Feeding mostly chick bits I have had high hatch rates of 80% +.
Characteristics:
I have found these snakes to be very calm animals though I have had mine since
they were hatchlings. I have also heard that they can be very aggressive snakes
and will go into attack mode at the drop of a hat. I free handle my snakes as they

are so calm and have never shown any aggressiveness even when I have lifted
them out of the vivarium and did not notice the milky eyes as they were getting
ready to shed.
John Gamesby