Eyelash vipers ambush frogs, lizards, small rodents, bats, and even hummingbirds from tree branches, then kill them with venom.
What Eyelash Vipers Eat
These small, venomous tree snakes live in the rainforests of Central and South America. They are mostly nocturnal. Known prey includes:
- Frogs: tree frogs and other small amphibians.
- Lizards: anoles, geckos, and young iguanas.
- Mammals: rodents, bats, and mouse opossums.
- Birds: including hummingbirds that visit flowers.
How They Hunt
An eyelash viper wraps its prehensile tail around a branch and waits, sometimes for days, for something to pass. Some snakes reuse favorite ambush spots such as flowers that attract hummingbirds. Young vipers (and sometimes adults) use their tails as lures, wiggling them like worms to attract frogs and lizards into striking range.
Venom and Safety
Eyelash viper venom damages tissue and interferes with blood clotting. Bites cause pain, swelling, and bruising and require emergency treatment. These snakes are small and camouflaged, which makes accidental contact in the wild a risk. They are also kept by specialist keepers, but they are not beginner or casual pets.
Bottom Line
Eyelash vipers are patient ambush hunters that eat frogs, lizards, small mammals, and birds. See related reading on what viper snakes eat, what rattlesnakes eat, and what snakes eat in the Amazon rainforest.
