<P> The reproductive characteristics of the brown tree snake have not been widely studied . The female is known to produce 4 - 12 oblong eggs, 42--47 millimetres (1.7--1.9 in) long and 18--22 millimetres (0.71--0.87 in) wide with leathery shells . Females may produce up to two clutches per year depending upon seasonal variations in climate and prey abundance . The female deposits the eggs in hollow logs, rock crevices, and other sites where they are likely protected from drying and high temperatures . Populations on Guam may reproduce year round . </P> <P> The brown tree snake is a nocturnal, rear - fanged colubrid, possessing two small, grooved fangs at the rear of the mouth . Due to the placement of the fangs and their grooved rather than hollow architecture, the venom is difficult to convey into a bite on a human, and thus is only delivered in small doses . The venom appears to be weakly neurotoxic and possibly cytotoxic with localized effects that are trivial for adult humans; serious medical consequences have been limited to children, who are more susceptible because of their low body mass . The snake has been reported as aggressive, but is not considered dangerous to an adult human . The venom seems to be primarily used to subdue lizards, which can be more easily positioned in the rear of the mouth for venom delivery . </P> <P> Shortly after World War II, and before 1952, the brown tree snake was accidentally transported from its native range in the South Pacific to Guam, probably as a stowaway in ship cargo or by crawling into the landing gear of Guam - bound aircraft . As a result of abundant prey resources on Guam and the absence of natural predators outside of feral pigs and mangrove monitors, brown tree snake populations reached unprecedented numbers . Snakes caused the extirpation of most of the native forest vertebrate species; thousands of power outages affecting private, commercial, and military activities; widespread loss of domestic birds and pets; and considerable emotional trauma to residents and visitors alike when snakes invaded human habitats with the potential for envenomation of small children . Since Guam is a major transportation hub in the Pacific, numerous opportunities exist for the brown tree snakes on Guam to be introduced accidentally to other Pacific islands as passive stowaways in ship and air traffic from Guam . To minimize this threat, trained dogs are used to search, locate, and remove brown tree snakes before outbound military and commercial cargo and transportation vessels leave the island . Numerous sightings of this species have been reported on other islands including Wake Island, Tinian, Rota, Okinawa, Diego Garcia, Hawaii, and even Texas in the continental United States . An incipient population is probably established on Saipan . Acetaminophen has been used to help eradicate the snake on Guam . </P> <P> The brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) is a nocturnal, arboreal species that uses visual and chemical cues in hunting in the tropical rainforest canopy and / or on the ground . It is a member of the subfamily Colubrinae, genus Boiga, which is a group of roughly twenty five species that are referred to as "cat - eyed" snakes for their vertical pupils . The brown tree snake is generally between one and two meters (three and six feet) in length in its native range . The snake is long and slender, which facilitates its climbing ability and allows it to pass through tiny spaces in buildings, logs, and other shaded locations where it seeks refuge during daylight hours . Variations in coloration occur in the snake's native range, ranging from a lightly patterned brown to yellowish / green or even beige with red saddle - shaped blotches . They are rear - fanged, have a large head in relation to their body, and can survive for extended periods of time without food . </P>

Where is the brown tree snake found in the us