CNMI BTS Program

The brown treesnake is a brown / yellow snake with a relatively large head, prominent eyes, and thin body. Its body is between 3/8 inch (1 cm) and 2 inches (5 cm) thick. The brown treesnake is generally active at night, and can be found on the ground or in the trees. The snake eats birds (including poultry), bats, rats, mice, and lizards. The native wildlife of the CNMI is particularly vulnerable to an introduced snake predator because our wildlife has not developed defense measures for snakes, and so make for easy snake meals. In addition, there are no natural snake predators or competitors in the CNMI to keep snake populations from becoming too large. The brown treesnake is mildly venomous, though not considered dangerous to adults. Bites to infants should receive medical attention.