The Brahminy Blind Snake is a very unique species of Blind Snake that is native to parts of Africa and Asia.
They are completely Fossorial meaning they spend most of their lives underground.
When people find one of these snakes, they often think it is just a common Earthworm. However, under close examination there are some obvious differences.
While these snakes are native to parts of Asia and Africa, they have been introduced into many other countries including the United States.
Brahminy Blind Snake Taxonomy
The Brahminy Blind Snake belongs to the Typhlopidae family of snakes. This is essentially a family of blind snakes that can be found throughout a large portion of the planet.
They can be found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas. Species from this family of snake can also be found throughout much of Australia.
The snakes in this family are built for burrowing. Their snout overhangs their mouth to form a shovel-like appendage.
While the Typhlopidae family of snakes is nowhere near as well-known as other families of snake such as Pythons, Boas and Colubrids, it is actually a very large family.
At the latest count, there are 18 different genera and over 250 different species of snake in this family.
The genus that the Brahminy Blind Snake belongs to is called Indotyphlops. This is one of the larger genera in the Typhlopidae family with 23 different species.
Many of the snakes in this genus are often referred to as Worm Snakes. The scientific name for the Brahminy Blind Snake is Typhlopidae braminus.
Brahminy Blind Snake Description
The Brahminy Blind Snake is the smallest known species of snake in the world. Adults of this species typically only grow to lengths of 2-4 inches.
The head of the snake isn’t distinct from the neck and the entire snake’s body is fairly uniform in girth. This makes it difficult to distinguish the head from the tail without close examination.
Unlike most snakes that have distinctive head scales, the Brahminy Blind Snake has head scales that resemble the rest of the body.
The snake’s eyes are tiny and are barely noticeable as small dots. These tiny eyes are covered with translucent scales which effectively makes the snake completely blind.
While the snake’s eyes are unable to process and form images, they are still able to detect changes in light. This may help them find their way out of dark burrows.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
It is believed that the Brahminy Blind Snake is native to parts of Africa and Asia but it has been introduced to many other parts of the world, although in most places it is not considered too invasive.
As this snake spends most of its life underground in the soil, it is believed it has been introduced around the world as the soil is being transported. It is also believed to hitch a ride in potting plants.
If Africa, the Brahminy Blind Snake can be found throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa. It has also been found in parts of Egypt and Libya.
There are no reports of the snake in the dense rainforests of the Congo Basin. However, this may just be due to the remoteness of the area as opposed to the absence of the snake.
In Asia, the Brahminy Blind Snake can be found on the Arabian Peninsula as well as much of South-Western Asia in countries such as Lebanon, Iran, Pakistan and Nepal.
Their range extends into India and Sri Lanka while it can also be found throughout much of South-East Asia in countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
As mentioned, this Snake has been introduced to many parts of the world. It can be found in parts of Northern Australia as well as on some Oceania islands such as Fiji, Guam and French Polynesia.
It can be found on some of the tropical European Islands such as Malta and the Canary Islands where it has been seen in Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
It has also been found in many Central and South American countries as well as in the United States. In the United States, it can be found in places such as Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana and Texas.
In the United States, they share some of their geographical range with species such as the Banded Water Snake, the Mud Snake, the American Alligator and the Cottonmouth.
As can be expected from their huge geographical range, the Brahminy Blind Snake is very adaptable and can survive in a wide range of habitats as long as the temperature and humidity of the soil is correct.
They can be found in both urban areas or on agricultural land. In many parts of their range, they are even found in large cities where they live in gardens and parks.
Brahminy Blind Snake Diet
The Brahminy Blind Snake is often found living in ant or termite mounds where they get the majority of their food.
The bulk of their diet is made up of the larvae, eggs, and pupae of these ants and termites.
Behaviour
The Brahminy Blind Snake is not dangerous to humans or pets. These snakes are unable to bite and their first line of defence is to try and escape by burrowing into the soil.
If you do capture one of these snakes, the worst that can happen is they release a foul-smelling musk from two glands in the base of the tail.