Brown Rat Snake
Ptyas fusca
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusPtyas (Asian Rat Snakes)
- SpeciesPtyas fusca (Brown Rat Snake)
About the Brown Rat Snake
Ptyas fusca, commonly known as the white-bellied rat snake or brown rat snake, is a species of colubrid snake. It is found in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. The white-bellied rat snake prefers forested habitats. They are known to prey on frogs and lizards and fish. It is known to remain still and hold neck erect when disturbed-a threatening posture.
The adults range from brown to brick-red colour on the upper surface. Ventral scales are white to pale yellowish in colour. Thick black stripes on either side of the posterior body and tail is a characteristic feature. Juveniles often greenish in coloration. The pupil is rounded and large.
Photo by Hock Ping GUEK - Selangor, Malaysia Photo by Paul - Maliau Basin, Sabah, Malaysia Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Gunung Leuser National Park
Common Bronze-back
Dendrelaphis pictus
Western Mangrove Cat Snake
Boiga melanota
Gray Bronzeback
Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
Oriental Whipsnake
Ahaetulla prasina
Black Copper Rat Snake
Coelognathus flavolineatus
Paradise Flying Snake
Chrysopelea paradisi
Triangle Keelback
Xenochrophis trianguligerus
Black-headed Cat Snake
Boiga nigriceps
Banded Flying Snake
Chrysopelea pelias
Specklebelly Keelback
Rhabdophis chrysargos
Red-tailed Green Ratsnake
Gonyosoma oxycephalum
Malayan Banded Wolf Snake
Lycodon subcinctus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 3 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 5 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 6 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 7 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 8 | Tanjung Puting National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 9 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 10 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Brown Rat Snake in Gunung Leuser National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Rat Snake sighting in Gunung Leuser National Park, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Brown Rat Snake in Gunung Leuser National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Brown Rat Snake in Gunung Leuser National Park in our monthly data.