The common sunbeam snake (xenopeltis unicolor) facts and information. the sunbeam snake is a harmless, nonvenomous snake closely related to pythons and boas and are known for their wild iridescent colors. Sunbeam snakes are basically brown on top transitioning to white on their belly’s. Hatchlings and juveniles often have a white band behind their head. In strong light such as direct sunlight or a strong torch light, they beam a brilliant iridescence. Sunbeam snakes are native to Southeast Asia, and some regions of Indonesia and grow to about 1.3 meters in length (4 feet). They are constructors, squeezing the life out of amphibians, small mammals, small lizards and on occasion other snakes before consuming them whole. Like pythons and boas, the smooth glossy scales of sunbeam snakes are highly iridescent in sunlight. They are nocturnal snakes spending much of their time hiding under substratum and loose soil. At night they may emerge as they forage for food or mates. So it’s very unlikely the world will ever experience their colorful superpower without intervention. I mostly find them close to water. The swampier, the better. BEHAVIOR: Sunbeam snakes can bite, but I’ve never seen one do it. BUT, I try to be as gentle as possible whenever handling snakes. They are extremely shy and it has been reported that they experience an elevated level of stress when handled compared to many other more tolerant snakes. For this reason, it is inadvisable that wild caught specimens be kept as a pet. There are 3 separate sunbeam snakes in this video all found and released in Thailand.