Brahminy Blind Snake Showed Up in Your Potted Plant!

The brahminy blind snake is a tiny, slender snake that is sometimes regarded as the smallest snake in the world. Certainly the brahminy is the smallest snake in the United States. The brahminy is about 4 to 6 inches in length, and is very wormlike in appearance, though it's scales are smooth and shiny.

The top of the brahminy is generally grey black to black with a lighter shade on its belly. Also, the underside of the mouth and neck, as well as the tail can sometimes be yellow or white. The brahminy blind snake is sometimes compared to the earthworm, though the earthworm has segments where this true snake does not. The scales are the same size underneath as above. The brahminy has no difference in size or appearance around the neck. The eyes are covered by translucent scales (see through).

When this unisexual snake sheds, the skin turns a light blue tint, as the skin works loose. The snake will shed as other snakes in spite of it's tiny size. The brahminy blind snake loves to burrow and this tends to help with shedding it's skin.

The young brahminy blind snake will be identical in every way to the adult, except in size. The baby brahminy will be only about 2 inches or so. That is the size of a tiny worm! The snake will lay from 2 to 8 eggs in moist earth. This snake must have moisture in the soil that it lives in or else it will dry up and die. This often leads to the brahminy blind snake taking up residence in potted plants, and showing up in the strangest places.

The brahminy was originally an Asian snake, and was introduced to the United States somewhere along the way. It is abundant in Florida, as it prefers a warm locale. It has spread to many tropical areas such as Mexico, and Hawaii, quite possibly through the potted plants that travel around. The brahminy blind snake is sometimes referred to as "The Potted Plant Snake", due to the habit of showing up in the same by this shiny reptile.

The brahminy blind snake absolutely loves to eat termites, and it is a primary source of food for the species. It will also eat insects and insect larvae as well, but prefers the termites. The insects it consumes must be soft, due to the brahminy's tiny size.