Albino Cobra

Range: Asia

Habitat: Grasslands, lightly forested regions. Human farming areas.

Natural Diet: Small mammals & birds, snakes.

Diet at Rain Forest: Pre-killed rodents.

Size: 5-7 feet

RainForest Facts: Named for the "monocle" or eye shaped pattern on the neck, only visible when the cobra spreads it's hood, the Monocled cobra is a fairly common inhabitant of human farming areas. The cobra frequently visits rice and grain fields in search of rodents as well as the other snakes that are drawn to the area to feast on the rodents.

Like all Cobras the Monocled Cobra lays eggs, the typical clutch is based largely on the size of the adult female. The average size clutch of eggs is 12-18. 60-75 days is the average incubation time for this species.

Natural predators of this snake include other species of snakes as well as small mammals such as mongoose and predatory cats.

An estimated 1 in 10,000 animals of all types are born as albinos, in the wild the animals lose the ability to hide from predators due to their lack of naturally occurring skin pigmentation. Predators have a very easy time finding these aberrantly colored animals and generally kill the albino animals before the creatures have a chance to mature and pass along the genetic fingerprint for albinism.

The captive diet of this snake is primarily small rodents. A voracious appetite is generally associated with this species.

Status in Wild: Not a naturally occurring color phase of the snake. Albino cobras would not survive in the wild