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Introduction
Snakes are legless reptiles that can be found all over the world. A lot of snakes look like the “normal” snakes we are used to, like ball pythons, corn snakes, boa constrictors, etc. But what about the ones that don’t look like normal snakes? Those are the ones we are talking about today – 12 very uniquely weird snakes that break the mold of what snakes “normally” or “should” look like.
If you want a full top 10 list on any of these snakes let us know in the comments below. Or tell us what your favourite “weird” snake is! So let’s get to the good part, and what you’re all here for. Keep reading to see what weird looking snakes made the list.
Top 10 List – Weird Snakes
1. Elephant Trunk Snake
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Scientific Name: Acrochordus javanicus
Geographic Range: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam
Lifespan: 5-6 Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The first of our weird snakes is the Elephant Trunk Snake. It is part of the Acrochordus family, meaning it is part of a group of primitive, non-venomous and aquatic snakes. They have loose, baggy grey skin that almost gives them the appearance of an elephant trunk – hence their common name.
2. Spider-Tailed Horned Viper
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Scientific Name: Pseudocerastes urarachnoides
Geographic Range: Western Iran
Lifespan: Not Found
Conservation Status: Data Deficient
The Spider-Tailed viper is a venomous viper that is endemic to Western Iran. It has a unique looking tail, where the end actually looks like a spider (hence the name spider-tailed viper). It is thought they use this tail to trick and lure in their prey, making it easier to catch. To add to their uniqueness, they also have scales above each eye that raise up to look like little horns.
3. Tentacled Snake
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Scientific Name: Erpeton Tentaculatum
Geographic Range: Southeast Asia
Lifespan: 10 – 20 Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Tentacled Snake is another aquatic snake on this list. They are the only (known) snake that have two tentacles on their snout, making for a very unique and distinctive look.
4. Garden Flying Snake
Scientific Name: Chrysopelea Paradisi
Geographic Range: Southeast Asia
Lifespan: 10 Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Garden Flying Snake is one of five flying snakes in the world. While their name implies flying, these snakes don’t have wings, and actually glide through the sky, giving the appearance of flying. They use their body to push off of trees, and then flatten themselves in order to be able to glide horizontal distances of up to 100 meters. While they are venomous, their venom is really only dangerous to their prey, so you don’t have to worry about deadly venomous “flying” snakes gliding towards you from the trees.
5. Common Bush Viper
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Scientific Name: Atheris squamigera
Geographic Range: West and Central Africa
Lifespan: 10 – 20 Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Common Bush Viper is a venomous snake that has almost a dragon like appearance. They have keeled scales that stick up, and give off a leaf-like appearance. These unique snakes come in many beautiful colours such as green, red, yellow, orange, blue, and slate grey.
6. Rough Backed Litter Snake
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Scientific Name: Xenodermus Javanicus
Geographic Range: Southeast Asia – including Thailand, Burma, and Indonesia
Lifespan: 10+ Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Rough Backed Litter Snake is also known by the name Dragon Snake, and is the only snake in its genus. They’re a fairly standard grey colour, however their standout feature is the scales on their back. They have 3 rows of enlarged keeled scales that run down their back, almost crocodile like in their appearance. Their scientific name Xenodermus makes reference to these scales, as xeno means strange, and derma means skin. If you pit that together you get strange skin, which is one way to describe this snakes scales.
7. Malagasy Leaf-Nosed Snake
Scientific Name: Langaha Madagascariensis
Geographic Range: Madagascar
Lifespan: Possibly 3.5 Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Malagasy Leaf-Nosed Snake is only found in Madagascar and has a unique long nose. They have a very distinct sexual dimorphism between the males and females. Males are centrally brown with a long, tapered snout, while females are a mottled grey with a flattened leaf shaped snout.
8. Asian Vine Snake
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Scientific Name: Ahaetulla Prasina
Geographic Range: Southeast Asia to Indo-China
Lifespan: 10 – 15 Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Asian Vine Snake (also known as the Oriental Whipsnake) is a unique looking Asian snake. Their body is extremely slender for a snake, with a long, pointy projecting snout. While they can be a duller brown or yellow-green, often they are an almost florescent green in colour, and their eyes have a unique horizontal slit.
9. Iridescent Shieldtail Snake
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Scientific Name: Melanophidium bilineatum
Geographic Range: India
Lifespan: Not Found
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Not much is known about the Iridescent Shieldtail snake, however their unique, beautiful appearance has captured many peoples attention. Their body is covered in beautiful iridescent scales, and the back and belly is separated by a bright yellow stripe.
10. Eastern Worm Snake
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Scientific Name: Carphophis a. ameonus
Geographic Range: Eastern United States
Lifespan: 4 Years (Wild)
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Eastern Worm Snake is a small worm like snake that is endemic to the United States. In addition to their worm-like appearance, they spend most of their time borrowing in the ground and under logs and rocks – much like real worms do.
11. Ruby-Eyed Green Pit Viper
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Scientific Name: Trimeresurus Rubeus
Geographic Range: Southeast Asia
Lifespan: Not Found
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
The Ruby-Eyed Green Pit Viper is a venomous snake that looks much like what you would think of when you thought of a pit viper – except for a couple unique differences. These vipers are generally a green colour, and both their eyes and the tip of their tail can be a very bright red colour, which is a unique and stunning colour.
12. Rhinoceros Viper
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Scientific Name: Bitis nasicornis
Geographic Range: West and Central Africa
Lifespan: Approx. 8 Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The last of our uniquely weird snakes is the Rhinoceros Viper. It is a short, heavy-bodied snake with a small flattened triangular head. They can have stunning, bright colours on their scales such as gorgeous blues, yellow, purples, etc. However these colours do tend to be brighter when they are young and dull slightly with age. However one thing they don’t lose with age is the 2 – 3 horn-like projections that are above each nostril.
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