Texas Blind Snake
Rena dulcis
A tiny, worm-like burrowing snake of Texas and northern Mexico, occasionally found in the nests of ants and termites that it feeds on.
- Venomous?
- Harmless
- Adult length
- 17-27 cm (7-11 in)
- Range
- Southern United States and northern Mexico
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Overview
The Texas blind snake is a small, secretive burrowing species found across Texas and adjacent parts of Mexico. Like other thread snakes, it has greatly reduced eyes and spends nearly its entire life underground.
It is entirely harmless to humans, lacking any meaningful venom apparatus, and is sometimes noted for an unusual, occasionally reported association with burrowing owls, which may bring live individuals into their nest burrows.
How to identify it
- Slender, cylindrical, worm-like body of uniform diameter
- Glossy pinkish-brown, silvery-brown, or purplish coloration
- Smooth, tightly overlapping scales giving a shiny appearance
- Vestigial eyes visible only as small dark spots beneath translucent head scales
- Blunt head and short, spine-tipped tail
- Adults typically 17-27 cm in length
Habitat & range
Found in loose, sandy, or rocky soils in deserts, grasslands, and scrublands across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. Highly fossorial, sheltering under rocks, logs, and debris, and rarely seen above ground except after rain or at night.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Nocturnal and almost entirely subterranean, feeding on ant and termite larvae, pupae, and eggs, often following pheromone trails into insect colonies. Secretes substances that may help deter attacks from the ants and termites it preys on.
An egg-laying species, with females depositing small clutches of a few elongated eggs, often in shared communal nest sites underground.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Texas blind snake venomous?
No, it is harmless and has no venom capable of affecting humans.
How big does the Texas blind snake get?
Adults typically reach 17-27 cm (7-11 in) in length.
What does the Texas blind snake eat?
It primarily feeds on ant and termite eggs, larvae, and pupae underground.
Where is the Texas blind snake found?
It occurs in Texas and adjacent parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and northern Mexico.
Texas Blind Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Texas Blind Snake.
