Harmless · Popular pet · Native to New Guinea and northern Australia

Green tree python

Morelia viridis

Also called green python
Data updated October 2026

Bright green tree python coiled in loops over a horizontal branch with its head resting in the middle
Fig. 1 — Adult resting in its typical saddle coil over a branch, head tucked in the center.
Bright yellow juvenile green tree python coiled on a branch
Fig. 2 — Hatchlings are yellow, red or brown and turn green as they grow.

At a glance

A vivid green, tree-dwelling python of New Guinea, nearby islands and Australia’s Cape York. It spends the day draped in neat coils over a branch and hunts at night. Babies hatch yellow or red. Its striking looks make it a prized but demanding pet.

01

Identification

Adult green tree pythons are bright to dull emerald green, often with a broken line of white or pale yellow scales along the spine and scattered pale spots. The head is large and clearly wider than the slim neck, and the lips carry heat-sensing pits. Young snakes look completely different: they hatch bright yellow, brick red or dark brown, and all colors can turn up in one clutch.

  1. 01Emerald green body. With a broken white or yellow stripe or spots along the back.
  2. 02Saddle coil. Rests in loops draped over a branch, with the head in the middle.
  3. 03Colorful young. Yellow, red or brown hatchlings that turn green at about 6 to 8 months.

Commonly confused with

Both are green tree-dwelling snakes, but they are far thinner, with narrow heads and no heat pits, and they do not rest in a saddle coil.

02

Size

01 ft2 ft3 ft4 ft5 ft6 ft Typical adult · about 5 ft (1.5 m)

Most adults are about 4 to 6 feet long (1.2–1.8 m), and sources give a range up to about 6.6 feet with rare snakes near 7 feet. Weights reported by zoos vary widely, from about 1.5 pounds to over 6 pounds for large adults.

03

Range & habitat

Green tree python coiled on a mossy branch in dense rainforest
Fig. 3 — Green tree pythons live in humid rainforest from sea level into the mountains.

Green tree pythons live on New Guinea and surrounding islands, in eastern Indonesia, and on the northeastern Cape York Peninsula of Queensland, Australia. They are found in tropical rainforest, monsoon forest, dense bamboo thickets and forest edges, from sea level up to about 6,000 feet.

A genetic study published in 2020 (Natusch and colleagues) found that green pythons form two species, split by the central mountain range of New Guinea: one north of the mountains and one to the south. Under that arrangement the southern populations, including Australia’s, keep the name Morelia viridis, while the northern ones are recognized as Morelia azurea, with three subspecies. Many zoo and hobby sources still use M. viridis for all green pythons.

04

Diet & predators

Green tree pythons are nocturnal ambush hunters. They hang from a branch in an S-shaped pose and strike at passing prey, gripping it with long front teeth and killing it by constriction. They may also stay perfectly still and wiggle the tip of the tail as a lure to draw in curious prey. Heat-sensing pits help them aim at warm-blooded prey in the dark. Small mammals, birds and lizards are all taken.

Feeds on

  • Rodents and other small mammals
  • Birds
  • Lizards and other small reptiles

Preyed on by

  • Poorly documented in the wild
  • Likely birds of prey and monitor lizards
  • People, through collection for the pet trade
Small skink on a leaf
Prey — lizards and other small reptiles.
Small rodent on a branch
Prey — small mammals.

05

Behavior & seasons

This is one of the most arboreal pythons. By day it rests coiled over a branch, often compared to a cinnamon roll or a saddle, and at night it moves into hunting position. In its tropical range it is active year-round.

Hatchlings change color gradually, usually becoming green by about 6 to 8 months. Temperament varies: some are nippy and high-strung, while others become tolerant with regular, gentle handling.

06

Reproduction

Green tree pythons lay eggs. After laying, the female wraps her body around the clutch and stays with it to keep the eggs warm and protected until they hatch. Yellow, red and brown babies can all emerge from the same clutch. Our sources do not give reliable clutch sizes or incubation times.

07

Conservation

The green tree python is rated Least Concern. Collection for the exotic pet trade is the main threat noted by zoos. It is not a US species and has no US Endangered Species Act listing. In Australia it lives within a small area of Cape York.

08

In captivity

Green tree pythons are not recommended for beginners. They need steady heat and high humidity, and many are defensive. The enclosure should be taller than it is wide, with a front-opening door. A minimum of about 18 × 18 × 24 inches tall has been suggested for a single adult; larger is better. Furnish it with plenty of horizontal and diagonal branches for coiling, plus hides both low and up on the perches.

  • Heat. A gradient from about 70°F (21°C) at night to about 90°F (31°C) in the warmest daytime spot.
  • Humidity and water. High humidity, with daily misting, since they drink water droplets. Provide a water dish for soaking as well.
  • Food. Appropriately sized rodents, with chicks for some snakes. Hatchlings can be reluctant feeders.
  • Handling. Never pull a snake off a branch, as this can injure its spine; let it crawl onto you or move the perch instead.

See a reptile vet if your python has trouble shedding, wheezes or shows mucus at the mouth, or keeps refusing food and losing weight. More pet care guides

Keep reading

Sources

Data updated October 2026 · How we build these pages