Oriental Whips

[LouB747]

I love these snakes. Last year I found 12 within about an hour. Here's the video showing how close together they were....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN-tMvc-Rgo

Lou

[macandchz]

lou, watched your video. what part of the U.S. are you from? i thought those look like some kind of palm trees. i just wondered where these snakes are found.

[LouB747]

Thanks for watching. I live in southern CA, but I'm an airline pilot and travel to Asia a lot. Unfortunately, it's mostly Tokyo, where there aren't many herps. But I get a 24 hr layover in Singapore every month or two. These were found there.

If you feel like watching a 30 min herp show, here's a video I put together (Singapore Snakes) of a typical trip, starting with cockpit footage of the takeoff in LAX, herping Tokyo, then Singapore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JmEdh4n-zc

Snakes on video.....

Japanese Keelback
Painted Bronzeback
Blue Coral Snake
Oriental Whipsnake
Waglers Pit Viper
Dog Faced Water Snake

Also a giant Asian scorpion.

[LouB747]

And I made a better follow up video (Singapore Snakes 2) with more species and probably better video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryl9k0e6Qk8

[reptiledude987]

These guys are really cool and fun to keep. I have a pair and mine came from Vietnam.

[LouB747]

I didn't realize they would do good in captivity. I picture them rubbing their noses raw. That's good to know they don't. Do they eat mice or lizards?

[reptiledude987]

Theyre not bad for nose rub at all. They feed on either house geckos or anoles.

[LouB747]

Very cool. They are awesome snakes. One of my favorite finds when I'm in Singapore.

[Albert Clark]

I thought they were vine snakes when I first looked at them. They are stunning!

[reptiledude987]

I thought they were vine snakes when I first looked at them. They are stunning!

Same thing just different common names. Mine are Ahaetulla prasina and Im pretty sure they are the same as the ones pictured above.

[LouB747]

I believe whips are Ahaetulla while vines are Oxybelis. Oxybelis are only found in the Americas I believe. I know these two groups look alike. But the Oriental Whip Snake, Ahaetulla Prasina, is also called the Asian Vine Snake. So who knows.