Thai Bamboo Ratsnake (Oreocryptophis porphyraceus coxi)

The Thai Bamboo Ratsnake is a striking red-and-black banded rat snake native to the montane forests of Thailand. It remains relatively small and is known by many common names such as the red mountain racer, red bamboo snake, and black-banded trinket snake1). This page provides comprehensive information for keeping this shy, cool-climate species in captivity.

Adults are small and slender, typically 80–100 cm in length (about 2.5–3.5 ft), with females occasionally up to ~120 cm¹⁾²⁾. They have a brilliant red to orange base color with bold jet-black bands or stripes, and a black stripe through the eye and along the head. Unlike some other ratsnakes, juveniles look similar to adults in pattern and color (the wild-type coxi hatchlings are brightly colored, not drab). This vivid coloration likely helps them camouflage among leaf litter and bamboo while also warning off predators by mimicking more dangerous species³⁾.