Texas Blind Snake

The Texas Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops dulcis, or Plains Blind Snake is a species of harmless snake native to the United States. They spend most of their time buried in loose soil, only emerging to feed or when it rains and their habitat floods with water.

These snakes look much like shiny earthworms. They are pinkish or brown in color with a deep sheen to their scales. They appear to be segmented. Their eyes are no more than two dark dots under the head scales. Their mouths are small and set in an under bite. They can grow to approximately 8 inches at adult size.

Blind snakes are often found after spring rains, when they are often mistaken for earthworms. If handled they often squirm around and try to poke the tip of their tail into the handler. It is a completely harmless maneuver, and likely serves as a distractive measure. Their mouths are also far too small to effectively bite a human being. Texas Blind Snake diet is primarily termite and ant larvae.

Photo by LA Dawson