The Brown House Snake is amongst the most common, and possibly the most useful, snakes in southern Africa: they are attracted to areas of human habitation, and they readily consume rats and mice found in these areas. They are non-poisonous and quite harmless to man.
House snakes are powerful constrictors, and large specimens have no trouble killing a rat, which is first seized in the jaws, before the coils are thrown around it. When the rat is dead, the snake's asphyxiating grip is relaxed and the prey is eaten head first.
They will feed on frogs, lizards, birds and eggs if there are no rodents available. The young feed on lizards. Because of their useful role in eliminating vermin, brown house snakes deserve to bed spared, not killed.
Their own predators include larger snakes and birds of prey, particularly owls, which hunt them when they are out and about at night. Most brown house snakes will become quite tame in captivity, although they might put up a ferocious display of striking and biting at first. The female lays her eggs in early summer among vegetable debris, compost or similar decaying matter, and the hatchlings emerge 2 to 3 months later.
The Brown House Snake is wide spread and commonly found throughout the entire southern Africa region, and are frequently seen in urban areas.
They can grow up to 1 m in long
Brown House Snakes are a light brown to reddish brown above, or dark brown in old specimens. The underparts are off white. On each side of the head is a prominent, horizontal, silvery line running from the tip of the snout through the eye. These lines rarely extend along the front half of the body, especially in young snakes.
The Brown House Snake is very similar to the young Egyptian or Cape cobra, with the house snake's twin silver head streaks making it distinctive, and its underparts being uniform off-white, without a dark throat-band.
Brown House Snakes live mainly under debris near human habitation, or under stones in rocky areas.
Best places to see the Brown House Snake in Southern Africa:
• Kruger National Park
 Snakes of Southern Africa >> Printable Snake List <<
South African Snakes >> Printable Snake List <<
Wildlife - Fauna & Flora of Southern Africa
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