Non-venomous

Brahminy Blind Snake

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Brahminy Blind Snake is a VERY COMMON non-venomous snake which is in nearly every country across the world. It is a myth that Brahminy blind snakes are venomous and deadly. Here in Thailand, it is a pervasive myth. There are many kinds of blind snakes in Thailand, and also some small legless skinks that resemble snakes.

These snakes resemble thin black worms in Thailand. They have a lot of energy when you pick one up. You will likely find them in the soil in your potted plants or climbing up through your drain in your restroom.

Brahminy Blind Snakes are completely harmless, though they may bite.

[Page Updated: 19 July 2023]

Ramphotyphlops braminus (Brahminy Blind Snake)

Thai: (ngoo din ban)

Length: Up to about 6 inches (15cm)

Non venomous, burrowing snake native to southeast asia. The Brahminy Blind snake is parthenogetic - can spawn young without males.
Brahminy Blind Snake – non venomous, burrowing snake native to southeast asia. Brahminy Blind snakes are parthenogetic – can spawn young without males.

Description: Small black or brown snakes resembling shiny worms. Upon closer inspection, small scales and a mouth that opens can be seen. Looking very closely you can see 2 black eyes.

Range: All over Thailand and much of the world, native to Southeast Asia. Transported across the world in potted plants.

Notes: These are ground-dwelling and burrowing snakes. They are shy. They are easily eaten by many other predators like birds, monitors, and other snakes. The Red Tailed Pipe snake eats these snakes often. The blind snakes have very small eyes covered with thin skin that protects them as they burrow through the dirt.

Many people have this tiny black snake come up through the pipes into their homes. We found dozens of them in our home, having come through the shower drain. They are completely harmless and yet there are rumors across the world that these are deadly snakes capable of killing humans with one bite. It is completely false. Do not kill these snakes, they are beneficial to the environment – they eat termite and ant eggs.

Active Time? Anytime. I have found them at night and daylight – under leaves or other litter on damp ground, and of course, crawling up through our drains.

Food: Ant and termite eggs primarily.

Defensive Behavior: Flip around crazily and will attempt to flee. The mouth is too small to inflict a bite on humans, and I have never seen one of these small snakes attempt to bite.

Venom Toxicity: No venom or means to inject it.

Offspring: An interesting twist here. Brahminy Blind snakes are all born female and need no males to continue the species (parthenogenic). They are parthenogenetic. When they reach sexual maturity they lay fertile eggs – and hence, are fully self-perpetuating the species. If there is one – soon there will be more!

These snakes have populated much of the Western world and can be found in Thailand, India, Hawaii, Louisiana, Boston, and other places in the USA and across the globe now.

My Brahminy Blind Snake Video:

Brahminy Blind Snake Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Typhlopidae
Genus: Ramphotyphlops
Species: R. braminus

Binomial classification:
Ramphotyphlops braminus

Thailand Non-Venomous Snakes

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Thailand Snakes Team Send an email
77 1,209 2 minutes read

Thailand Snakes Team

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77 Comments

  1. found one in my room and in our restroom!!I thought it was a worm so I killed the one in my room, the other I threw it outside. Thanks for the info, now I know they’re harmless…but gotta be careful!!! so the next time I see one..I’ll put it back to it’s habitat.

    1. I find this red snake like creature coming out of a small dot like hole in the staircase. Tried sealing it then it pops out of another place in the same area. I guess that particular part of the stair has a gap and merges with the soil below. They reappear every year. It’s not nice to see them indoors.

      1. They’re harmless, and many people have them in their homes. Just sweep it out the door with a broom. :P

  2. just wondering,can this snake climb?like for example up to my bed because I freaked out when I found it in my room..hope to get some reply.thanks

    1. It can climb a little bit, only as high as it’s body. These snakes are dirt dwellers. They’re looking for dirt – not your bed! Unless your bed is reeeeeally dirty I don’t think you need to worry. They stay on the ground.

      1. Not really! I found one my bed and so did my daughter.

      2. How can i get them to go away, i hate seeing this in my house

        1. The usually come through holes in the foundation of your home, or through the pipes leading to drains in your home. Pretty impossible to create a mess that is so fine it prevents them from coming in.

    2. I am from “Bangladesh” . The name of my city is “Rangpur” .
      Sometimes i have found this kind of little dark color snakes at our living rooms ground. Not only that often it discovered at our bathrooms & toilets. it looks like black or dark color as an “earth-worm” . those snakes are very fast and small.
      first time i learn about that type of snake from this web sites, before visit this site we believe that this type of snake is very dangerous and it contains deadly poison and venom.

      thanks for sharing info …

      1. I didn’t think they climbed either until I saw one on my kitchen counter. My husband threw insect pellets in yard and it helped get rid of them, but they were back next year.

      2. My son just found one in our bathroom and we freaked out and killed it.

  3. While in Karon recently I found a small snake? millipede? that had a spade shaped head. could this have been a species of blind snake?

    1. Hi Jason, I have also found those things – they are more like worms – right? The spade shaped head is unmistakable. Very small – yes? VERY think – like the lead in a pencil – right? These are worms I guess – not snakes, quite odd things they are too! Thanks for writing. I have some photos of those things somewhere – might have to dig ’em out.

      1. Hi Vern, please send me your email so I can send you a video of what I just saw in my bathroom. I’m so scared of snakes I can’t sleep 😭

  4. I saw a small snake in my home and I killed it, and after a few days again I saw the same kind of small snake near my baby. I was scared, I took my baby away and I killed that small snake again. I hope it will not bite right?

  5. I saw two of the little Brahminy snakes coming out of my shower drain yesterday. Before doing anything, I closed up the shower and room, and I ran to google :)
    People have a tendency to kill first, which is unfortunate. Snakes are very useful and most are harmless. Besides, snakes are by nature very shy and afraid of human beings. I had a 3 ft garden snake living in my yard for a while. I left it in peace and it would watch me mowing the lawn from a distance. As I went from right to left, and left to right, I could see its head following me. Then one spring I didn’t see it anymore.

  6. I saw two of them recently, The first one I saw it was a long lengthy one, the second one was small, I am from Chennai, India. This is the first time I have seen this kind of a worm. My Mom and Dad called it a “Seiyyan” tamil name probably, I tried to learn more about this as my grandparents said, they may enter into human body through ears and hence damaging the brain ? Is that true ?

    1. Not true of this snake. It likes the ground, not ears or brains. Promise!

  7. THANKS FOR THE INFO, I SAW ONE,THINKING IT WAS AN EARTHWORM, SO I PICKED IT UP, BT LATER, I WAS SUPPRISED WHEN I SAW ITS TOUNGE. THEN I KILLED IT. NOW I HAVE TO SAY AM SO SORRY TO KILL IT, KNOW ITS NOT HARMFULL..

    1. I don’t know what to say. They do look like worms at first, but even so, was it smart to pick it up if you don’t know what it is?

      1. Hi… I knw it wasn’t… But it was brave… Isn’t it? He u doing?

  8. Hi…
    I am from chennai… And my room is in ground floor…. And I m getting that type of snake regularly 2 or 3 times in week…. Some time in kitchen some time in bathroom… Even bedroom too…. I don’t know from Whr it is coming…. It look likes earth worm same… But when you try to kill or harm it…. They behaves different than earthworm…. They start running wd full energy… Just tell me they are harmful or not…. Cause some one told me they are much dangerous….

    1. These snakes are completely harmless. There are many rumors here in Thailand too that this snake is SO DEADLY. It’s false. Assuming you’re talking about the same exact snake. Make sure your Identification is accurate, and then you can be sure it is harmless in India and USA and all over the world.

      Cheers, Vern

      1. Yes, I find these occasionally and my Thai wife is convinced that they are absolutely deadly. I didn’t kill it, it went over the garden wall (to the neighbours!). I actually did find this one in a termite heap that I was exploiting for potting soil.

        1. LOL! You threw it into your neighbors yard… what a great neighbor you are! They eat termite eggs from what I’ve read. Harmless little things.

    2. Smiles .. They re very harmless. OK.

  9. Yesturday I found similar snake in play ground with slight grass surface. The length may be 30 cm and 6mm thickness. Looks very similar. I want confirmation. Can send the photo by mail.

    Place-Kaiga, Karwar, Karnataka, India.
    Date: 2/6/2016

    1. Send, Thailand snakes overlap with India snakes a bit.

  10. Of This Snake Bite Anyone What Is Primary Cure For It??

    1. No cure. But, there is no problem either. This snake is entirely harmless and you have nothing to worry about. It would have a very hard time to bite you, the mouth is incredibly small.

      1. blind snake bite my wife , now I reach
        hospital . are you suer not dangerous

        1. If it is the snake on this page, it is 100% harmless.

  11. Me and my child was in kitchen sudden when i saw it was near to her leg.i don’t know it is bite her or not but i m very muchh worry i would i know that he bite or not what should i do any treatment ???i m from Chennai india

  12. Me and my child was in kitchen sudden i saw it was near leg of my child i m very muchh worry and don’t know bite or not how we know that bite or not if bitten then what we should do any treatment

  13. I am regulary finding this snake in my bedroom usually i sleep in the floor, by any chance will it enter into my ears? what should i do if i find one? or How to prevent from coming home

    1. There is a chance this snake will go into your ear if you sleep on the floor. All holes in your foundation and walls must be sealed. All pipes must have caps on them while you’re not using them.

  14. where can i find this snake i have been looking everywhere i am from california,los angeles,culver city

  15. I shot a video of one near my home , in india ….just an hour ago

  16. Saw one next to an ants nest at our house. It was a lot longer than 150mm more like about twice that length. Or would it have been a different species. Very worm like head.

  17. Hi Sir,

    I am from Chennai, India. I find this Snake quite often at my home. Be it in kitchen or bathroom which are in ground floor or at my bedroom(first floor). Is there any permanent solution to get rid of this? I did a pesticide control spray for this. From 2 to 3 of this type of Snakes a day now it has reduced to 1 or 2 a month. I wish to know how can i get rid of this.

    1. They’re completely harmless… just seal up your stuff, or flick them out the door on a piece of paper.

  18. I am from Chennai, and In my house I am seeing one or two in a week. Since we are in ground floor, and drainage near house I am unable to close all the ways it’s coming in. Please clarify my concerns and suggest to avoid risks

    1. From reading this article and various other members queries, my fear is gone. I need suggestion, whether spraying antiseptic liquids or phenol in my bedroom entrance will restrict/ stop the entry of Brahminy snake
    2. In case if it entered into ears (I am having new born kid and we are sleeping in ground) whether it damages or deaf the ear – any ideas/ suggestion or first aid if it entered ear

    Please provide feedback

    Thanks

    1. If someone is sleeping on the floor, I guess it is possible to enter the ear. It would immediately exit the ear when it realized that it contains no food. The ear canal is too small to fit the body of the snake for sure, even a small one. Nobody will go deaf, unless you stick a hard instrument in the ear. You can simply drop water in your ear and it will leave.

      These snakes are completely harmless. They are very small and hard to keep out of pipes. There can be no harm to your baby or anyone else by this snake.

    2. Hi Ram murali, i am shanmugam and also from chennai. Me too have the same problem. Did you take any preventation to control or stop blind snakes?

  19. If by any chance the snake enters the ears..and doesnt leave…what do i do….??

    This is just a WHAT-IF question..

    1. pour water in your ear for ten minutes – it will come out

  20. I find this​ snake very often in my house,i live on ground floor and when i see it whether it is for 10 mins or an hour these snakes dont change their position,they stay at same place and keep moving their body at that same place only neither they go forward nor they go backwards i find it Everytime at that same place only in the middle of my bed room and no where else and only in morning and never at any other time. Can u plz let me know why is it so?

    2. can you catch one and sell it to me?

  21. Many thanks for the info,I found several ones in my ground floor,I used to kill it, but I’m so worried about my family,,I noticed in the last one ,it was about 10 cc,that when I got close to it,it raised its head,like the big snakes,is this normal?

    1. I’m trying to remember if I saw one raise their head vertically off the ground. I don’t think I’ve seen it. Probably they can do it though – so no worries! Cheers man…

  22. Mesa Arizona – I found one on the floor near the entrance to my bedroom this morning (Not near an outside wall or bathroom). My drains are all closed and all overflow drains in the sinks and tubs are completely sealed shut. I have no idea how it got in. I put it outside but I am very afraid of bugs and critters. Now I am afraid to go to sleep.

    1. they’re completely harmless – you need not be afraid. Like ants in your house… it’s not a major issue…

      1. I find this​ snake very often in my house under my daughter’s pillow, i really get scared and i had killed it, because i had heard that it enters into our ears,
        I live on ground floor, can any one please tell me is it true that it enters our eyes and it harm us.

        1. If it enters your ears (and I’ve NEVER heard of one doing it) – you can simply pull it out with tweezers. It’s not like it’s going to get past your ear drum.

  23. I find this​ snake very often in my house under my daughter’s pillow, i really get scared and i had killed it, because i had heard that it enters into our ears,
    I live on ground floor, can any one please tell me is it true that it enters our eyes and it harm us.

  24. Hello sir, I am from Bangladesh. blind snack really venomous or not venomous I want to know about you.and I also know about centipit

    1. Blind snakes are NOT venomous. Centipedes – yes, venomous and they bite and hurt like hell. Possibility for infection.

  25. Hi, i’m from Malaysia, i stumbled with a worm like creature like the Brahminy blind snake, only his head resembles a hammerhead shark’s head. It is black in colour and about 0.5 mm in body diameter and less than a feet long. Do you have any records regarding this species? My boss said it was a planarian worm. I found it at visitor trail in Endau-Rompin National Park

    1. I have seen them often. They are some sort of worm, not a snake. Quite amazing! I was just telling a friend about this, and he has never seen one in his garden. I find them in secondary and primary forest most often. When they move, they are like liquid – like black water, yeah? I find them fascinating, but I haven’t picked one up. You?

  26. Hello, I am seeing a lot of people on here saying they have found (and sadly killed) these awesome snakes, I am hoping someone who lives in an area that these creatures are native to can get in touch with me about catching some and sending them to me. I will pay.
    Thank You

    1. Hi,

      I had to kill so many that creeped out of the cracks under the doorway. I live on the Ground floor. I have heard about it entering the ears and causing deafness or being harmfull for the birds that eat them. Maybe now that I know they are harmless, I’ll dispose them away and not kill them. How can I help you get these? I am from Bangalore India. I am not sure if it’s legal to send stuff like these abroad. If it is legal, I can help you.

  27. Hai sir I am Ramesh from Nethaji Snake Trust, South India, Tamilnadu, Madurai District, Usilampatti. We r Duing in Snake Research and Wildlife Rescue.

  28. I am dhandapani. Often I find the tiny snake in my restroom . Are they harmful?. And heard that it secretes some fluid like substance and that causes some uncurable skin diseases like permanent patches over the skin etc . Please please tell me about that . And it is called sir paambu in tamil. Please tell me about it!!!!!!!!!

    1. Sorry, I don’t know anything about a snake that has this ability.

  29. We found one by the pool in Bradenton, Florida today. We were stumped because it appeared to have no discernible head but it had a tiny tongue flicking in and out. Found this website by googling “black snake with no discernible head.” Very interesting! Thank you for this great educational article to share with the kids!

    1. Sure! Glad you found it… these things are all over the world – couple different species.

  30. I am compiling specific localities for Indotyphlops braminus and want to hear from anyone who has seen this snake. Please email me and give me the locality where a Brahminy blindsnake was found. These data will be published in a study of the worldwide distribution of I. braminus.
    Thanks for your help, Dr. Van

  31. i found that kind of snake in our ground maybe because our kitchen is always wet and many rottin woods, i’m afraid at first but when i read this article my fear go away.

      1. Hi sir,
        We found this snake more than 150 within 40 days in our house please say how to rid of them stop them coming into our house . They come out floor tiles .
        Is there any pesticide to stop them ?or any antiseptics ? Please sir kindly reply with a good hope

        1. Not sure, they are too small to really stop without using harmful chemicals. Maybe someone will write a comment below and tell you what they did that worked.

  32. Hello there. I’m from Malaysia. Stumbled upon your article after googling about the various types of worm snakes. Found a blind snake in the bedroom not a few minutes ago. Poor thing. Trying to snake it’s way around but not moving anywhere. Pity I didn’t take a picture. Managed to to lift it up with a piece of paper which I slid beneath it (didn’t want to risk injuring it if I were to pick it up by hand) and took it out. This is maybe the 2nd time I’ve seen it so I don’t know how common they are in Malaysia.

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