Blind Snakes are “blind” due to their subterranean lifestyles, the lack of light resulting in eyes that have reduced to the point of seeing very little if anything. Their underground habits also lead them to have small heads, very smooth nondescript bodies, and tiny scales.
There are 11 species of Blind Snake in Thailand. Most are small and slender, in the 10-20 cm range, but a few are quite robust and reach over 50 cm in length. Coloration is rare but a couple species have interesting belly color, patterns are even rarer though one species has stripes and another has a white head.
Because blind snakes spend nearly all their time underground and are so difficult to find, some species are known from very few individuals. I’ve never seen a photo of a live Flower’s Blind Snake (just museum collections), Ozaki’s Blind Snake is only known from a handful of specimens, and Siamese Blind Snakes have seldom been recorded. But the rarest species – the Trang Blind Snake and Roxane’s Blind Snake – were only found once each and were never seen again! On the other hand, the Brahminy Blind Snake is probably the most common snake in Bangkok and is familiar to anyone with a garden.
You might think that they all look the same, but most of the species can be distinguished by head/tail/belly features and the rest by an examination of the scales. If you want to read more about the 11 species known to exist here, go to the “Identifying Blind Snakes” page! Click on any species name or picture to see 5 more photos and a full write-up on each species.
Identifying Blind Snakes in Thailand
Thanks for taking a look!
Hi I found one in my garden and assumed it was after checking that even though mine was a little stout that it was a Brahminy Blind Snake, Now after reading your post I want to go back and find it. I would be intrigued if it had colours on it or any scales. This time I will use a magnifying glass. I really want to see colours or scales. Can they be kept in captivity. Is it feasible. Lastly its a soil dweller perhaps its just cool that a miniature snake of no danger exists in a vary manageable size.
Supparod
Bangkok
Yes, it is almost certainly a Brahminy Blind Snake but it is neat to look and see if it can be a different species!
I do not know anyone who has kept them in captivity.
I would like to try but not at the expense of killing it any tips?