Several small reptiles live in the United States. It is common for smaller snakes to be fossorial and spend their lives underground. In the wild, snakes can be elusive, and the smallest type of snake found in America is also one of the most secretive.
What is the Smallest Snake in America?
The blind snake is the smallest type of snake you can find in America, and around 5 different species inhabit the US. The Brahminy blind snake is the smallest snake you can find in America, but it is an invasive species. Other blind snakes in America include the New Mexico Blind Snake, Texas blind snake, Western blind snake, and the trans-peco blind snake. Brahminy blind snakes are one of the smallest snakes in the world and have a length between 4.5 to 6.5 inches (11.2 to 16.5 cm). Black, purple, and dark gray are the colors of this species. Brahminy blind snakes have small scales with a glossy appearance, and their head and tail are round and blunt. Their size and body shapes make it easy to confuse this small species for a worm, but they are the smallest snakes to be found in America.
Where do Brahminy blind Snakes live?
While found in America, Brahminy blind snakes are native to Southeast Asia. They prefer to live in moist, damp, and warm tropical environments. While an invasive species, this small snake has been found in states like:
CaliforniaFloridaConnecticutLouisianaMassachusettsArizonaHawaiiTexasAlabama
Blind snakes are fossorial and burrow in loose soil and leaf litter. They may also be found in places like flower pots, under rocks, logs, and under other moist debris. Flower pot snakes are a name some call this snake since how often they are found in them. Urban regions are common places where this small snake lives, and they also inhabit places like gardens, forests, and meadows.
What do Blind Snakes Eat?
Small invertebrates like ants and termites are what blind snakes eat, and they will even live near ant hills to have access to a food source. This snake feeds on eggs and larvae of ants as well. As their name suggests, blind snakes are mostly blind. They find food and navigate the world by using their tongue. They flick their tongues side by side to enhance their smell and find food.
How did the Brahminy Blind Snake Become invasive in America?
Miami, Florida, during the 1970s, is when the Brahminy blind snake was first found in America, as it is a non-native snake. The lifestyle of this species is why it is so invasive, and it can easily travel from place to place by living in plants and soil. Blind snakes can also easily become invasive to new areas since females can procreate by parthenogenesis. Brahminy blind snakes do not need a male to mate and can lay eggs once they reach sexual reproduction. When transported to a new area, only one snake is required to establish a population.
Smallest Types of Snakes in America
Blind snakes are one of the smallest snakes, but other smaller snakes also inhabit America. Other small species in the United States are the ring-neck snakes, lined snakes, and garter snakes, which live in habitats like woodland, meadows, urban areas, and forest, usually near a body of water. Snakes are usually scared of humans and generally flee if spotted in the wild. The smallest snakes in America are all harmless, and humans are more dangerous to the snakes. Learning about the different snake species in the world makes it possible to be safer around the snakes you find.
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