A fast-moving, slender snake that averages 50-80 cm. This snake is active during the day and is without doubt one of our fastest snakes. It is fond of basking but will move off rapidly if disturbed. It is comfortable in trees and shrubs.
Full Name: Western Yellow-bellied Sand Snake (Psammophis subtaeniatus)
Other Names: Stripe-bellied Sand Snake, Westelike Geelpenssandslang, Westelike Streeppenssandslang
Classification: MILDLY VENOMOUS
A fast-moving, slender snake that averages 50-80 cm. This snake is active during the day and is without doubt one of our fastest snakes. It is fond of basking but will move off rapidly if disturbed. It is comfortable in trees and shrubs.
Like some of the other snakes in the genus Psammophis, it will spin if caught by the tail and snap a piece off. The Western Yellow-bellied Sand snake feeds on lizards, frogs, rodents, small birds and other snakes.
The venom of this snake is very mild and has no real effect on humans. Sand snakes, Grass snakes and Skaapstekers can be difficult to tell apart – always check the distribution when attempting to identify one of these snakes.
