What is a Flower Pot Snake?
Florida is known for many things: the sun, the weather, the theme parks…and the wildlife. Sometimes that wildlife sneaks up on you and gives you a scare. Today, we’re going to talk about one particular creature that may cause a fright but is actually of no danger to you.
The Flower Pot Snake, also known as the Brahminy Blindsnake, is a little charcoal gray, silver, or sometimes even purple snake that is pretty commonly found throughout the Florida peninsula. They have itty bitty blunt heads that look a lot like their tails and are usually pretty thin and only around 6.5 inches in length fully grown. They have a little pointy bit at the end of their tail, which is harmless. Their bellies are grayish brown, and their scales are tiny and smooth all over. They have no noticeable necks, and their eyes are tiny little spots of dark pigment under their scales.
This species is not native to Florida but to Asia, having first been sighted in the 1970s in Miami. Since then, they’ve spread across the state. Because of their size, these little critters can sometimes get mistaken for earthworms. However, if you look closely, you’ll be able to see that the Flower Pot Snake is not segmented like an earthworm…and that they will stick their little tongue out if you pick them up.
These snakes are able to reproduce solo (all of them are female), so just one can start a whole colony all on her own. They also hide rather than retaliate if threatened, but if they can’t burrow to get away, they may release a very smelly musk as a defense mechanism from their tail.
Is The Flower Pot Snake Harmless?
These cute little guys are completely harmless to humans and pets, as they are non-venomous and itty bitty. In fact, they’re actually beneficial to the environment. They can usually be found burrowing into loose soil or leaves, rotting logs, rock piles…anywhere that they can burrow, basically. Sometimes, though, they do sneak their way into homes. This is more common in the summer, as it’s hot and they may be looking for shelter or food. If you find one in your home, there’s absolutely no need to panic, just gently escort them back outside.
Afterward, you can do a check of your home to make sure you have proper sealing on doorways, windows, etc., and make sure that you have no other pests like ants or termites, as that’s a favorite snake for the Flower Pot Snake. If you do all of those checks and still find these little guys, it’s possible that you may accidentally be bringing them in with your plants! That’s how they got their nickname, as they sometimes get transported in the soil of plants.
This species of reptile is one of the most wide-ranging in the world, as they do get accidentally transported in plants to all kinds of places around the world. Pretty crazy, right? These tiny creatures are the smallest known snake, and even though they are technically blind they can still register light differences.
The gist of the story here is this: Flower Pot Snakes are itty bitty blind babies who will do absolutely no harm to you or your pets. If you keep finding them in your home, then that may be a sign that you have an ant or termite problem, as that is their favorite food source. That makes them a nice little warning sign, right? If you find one in your house, just gently move them outside to a nice patch of loose soil and watch them wiggle away into the earth.
