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 Sepilok
Keeled Rat Snake
Ptyas carinata
Paradise Flying Snake
Chrysopelea paradisi
Gray Bronzeback
Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
Red-tailed Green Ratsnake
Gonyosoma oxycephalum
Brown Whip Snake
Dryophiops rubescens
Gold-ringed Cat Snake
Boiga dendrophila
Blue-necked Keelback
Rhabdophis rhodomelas
(Eight-) Striped Kukri Snake
Oligodon octolineatus
Oriental Whipsnake
Ahaetulla prasina
Dog-toothed Cat Snake
Boiga cynodon
Samarinda Reed Snake
Calamaria hilleniusi
Orange-bellied Snake
Gongylosoma baliodeira
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 Sepilok?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Rat Snake sighting in Sepilok, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Brown Rat Snake in Sepilok?
October has the highest sighting rate for Brown Rat Snake in Sepilok in our monthly data.