This is a diurnal, arboreal snake that occurs in primary forest, but appears to prefer edge habitats, secondary growth, plantations and rural gardens (Stuebing and Inger 1999, A. Demegillo and A. Diesmos pers. comm.). The species occurs up to 1,100m asl (Cox et al. 1998). It is oviparous, laying clutches of between 5 and 12 eggs (Cox et al. 1998, Stuebing and Inger 1999).

This species ranges from Myanmar eastward to central Viet Nam, southward through the Malay Peninsula and in island Southeast Asia (including both the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) as far east as the Philippines and Lombok, Indonesia (Smith 1943, David and Vogel 1996, Nguyen et al. 2009). In the Philippines it occurs in the Sulu Archipelago, Balabac, Palawan, Bohol, Lubang, Luzon, Negros, Panay, Itbayat, Samar and Mindoro.

The wide distribution of this species coincides with protected areas. Research is needed to determine harvest and trade levels of this species and if this represents a threat to the persistence of the species.