Rough-scaled snake
Tropidechis carinatus
Olive brown with dark cross bands and ridged, rough-looking scales.
Habitat and distribution
Rainforest edges and creeks in south-east Queensland, northern NSW and the Wet Tropics.
Safety
Easily confused with the harmless keelback. Leave the call to a catcher.
Quick facts
- Venom
- Dangerously venomous. Bites can affect nerves, muscles and blood clotting.
- Size
- Usually 70 to 90 cm, occasionally up to 1 m.
- Active
- Mostly at night in warm weather. Climbs well.
- Diet
- Frogs, lizards and small mammals.
Often confused with
- Keelback (Tropidonophis mairii)
- Tiger snake (Notechis scutatus)
Common questions
Is the rough-scaled snake dangerous?
Yes. It can be quick to defend itself, and its venom is similar in effect to a tiger snake. Snakes are venomous rather than poisonous. The risk comes from a bite, so any suspected bite should be treated as an emergency and you should call 000.
How do you tell a rough-scaled snake from a keelback?
Reliably, you cannot from a distance. The harmless keelback and the dangerous rough-scaled snake look very similar, and even experienced people use close scale checks. Treat any snake like this as dangerous.
Where are rough-scaled snakes found?
In rainforest and wet forest in two areas: north-east Queensland, and from south-east Queensland into north-east New South Wales.
Where it is found
Approximate range based on AROD, adapted to our dot grid. Approximate historical reference range; not a habitat or absence assessment. Listed for 2,896 towns and suburbs. Ranges are approximate and do not confirm occurrence at a particular address.
- Coffs Harbour - Grafton, NSW
- Hunter Valley exc Newcastle, NSW
- Mid North Coast, NSW
- New England and North West, NSW
- Other NSW localities, NSW
- Richmond - Tweed, NSW
- Brisbane - East, QLD
- Brisbane - North, QLD
- Brisbane - South, QLD
- Brisbane - West, QLD
- Brisbane Inner City, QLD
- Cairns, QLD
- Darling Downs - Maranoa, QLD
- Gold Coast, QLD
- Ipswich, QLD
- Logan - Beaudesert, QLD
- Moreton Bay - North, QLD
- Moreton Bay - South, QLD
- Other QLD localities, QLD
- Queensland - Outback, QLD
- Sunshine Coast, QLD
- Toowoomba, QLD
- Townsville, QLD
- Wide Bay, QLD
Call 1800 4 SNAKE (1800 476 253)
If someone has been bitten, call 000. Never approach or handle a snake to identify it.