Sharp-tailed Snake

This little beauty is a Sharp-tailed snake. If you are into gardening this is a snake you will want living near by as their diet is primarily made up of slugs and insects. They are very shy and secretive snakes and are rarely found in the open. They prefer to burrow into soft soil or live in cracks in the soil or near garden walls. They are often mistaken for worms at first glance as they are quite small. The average length of an adult Sharp-tailed snake is between eight to twelve inches and their color ranges from a grey brown to brick red but occasionally bubble gum pink and peach specimens can be found. They are not toxic and get their name from their sharp tail spine which protrudes at the tip of the last vertebra.

 

 

If  you look closely you can just see the sharp little tail spine as this little one disappears into the leaves. How lucky we were to see this little snake. It was just heading across the driveway and we saw it when we were heading out to milk.