Rhombic Egg Eater – Dasypeltis scabra

Size:
Averaging around 60cm but can get just over a meter in length

Colour:
Occurring in an array of colours and forms. The body can be brownish, grey, bronze, ash grey or pinkish in certain areas typically with dark or light chevron markings down the body All have a V shaped just behind the head.

Habitat:
From grassland, montane grassland, moist savannah, coastal forest, succulent Karoo, and fynbos.

Field Notes:
One of the most widespread and common species of snake across South Africa. The Rhombic Egg Eater occurs in a range of habitats, and are frequently encountered and often confused with the venomous Rhombic Night Adder and needlessly killed. When agitated these snakes will put on an impressive threat display rapidly coiling and uncoiling their bodies rubbing their scales together to form a hissing or rasping sound. They will strike out violently displaying a dark inside mouth lining. This causes more confusion and these snakes are killed thinking they are Black Mamba’s although these snakes are long and sender and lack a definite bulk.

Like the Southern Brown and East African Egg Eater they feed solely on birds eggs, which are swallowed whole and the shelled regurgitated once the contents have been swallowed.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Matjiesvlei, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Matjiesvlei, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From near Pafuri, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From near Pafuri, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Orpen, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Orpen, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Westonaria, Gauteng.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Westonaria, Gauteng.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Nieu-Bethesda, Eastern Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Nieu-Bethesda, Eastern Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Orpen, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Orpen, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From West Coast National Park, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From West Coast National Park, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Mooi River, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Mooi River, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Blouberg Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Blouberg Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Western Shores, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Western Shores, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Midrand, Gauteng.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Midrand, Gauteng.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From St Lucia, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From St Lucia, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Oudtshoorn, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Oudtshoorn, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Mbazwana, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Mbazwana, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Dordabis, Namibia.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Dordabis, Namibia.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Hluhluwe, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Hluhluwe, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Natal Midlands, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Natal Midlands, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Natal Midlands, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Natal Midlands, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From St Lucia, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From St Lucia, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Grahamstown, Eastern Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Grahamstown, Eastern Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Dordabis, Namibia.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Dordabis, Namibia.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Oudtshoorn, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Oudtshoorn, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Hluhluwe, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Cape Vidal, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Hluhluwe, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Hluhluwe, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Middelrus, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Middelrus, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Hluhluwe, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Eastern Shores, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Middelrus, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Middelrus, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Middelrus, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater.From Underberg, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater.From Mooi River, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater.From Monzi, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Underberg, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Middelrus, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Hluhluwe, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Middelrus, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Hluhluwe, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Golden Gate National Park, Free State.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Umkhumbi Lodge, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Escort, KwaZulu-Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Escort, KwaZulu-Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Camperdown Rural, KwaZulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Matjiesvlei, Western Cape.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Camperdown Rural, KwaZulu Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Blouberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Blouberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Blouberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Blouberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Durbanville, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From West Coast National Park, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From West Coast National Park, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Durbanville, Western Cape

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From near Pafuri, Limpopo.

Dasypeltis scabra

Rhombic Egg Eater. From Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo.