Biosecurity Spotters logo

Brahminy blind snake (Indotyphlops braminus)

This small, introduced snake has been carried to new areas in soil and potted plants, and is recorded in Australia, including on the Sunshine Coast. It feeds mainly on ant and termite brood, can establish from a single transported individual, and is harmless to people.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, reptile.

Native to: South Asia.

Established in: QLD, WA, NT.

Other names: Flowerpot snake, Flowerpot blind snake, Common blind snake, Threadsnake.

Best time to act: Look for it after heavy rain or irrigation, or when soil is being dug or disturbed, when it may come to the surface.

Identification

  • A tiny, cylindrical, worm-like snake, commonly about 10–18 cm long.
  • Its smooth, glossy body is usually brown, dark brown or purplish, sometimes with a grey sheen.
  • The eyes look like minute dark spots beneath scales, and the head is blunt and not wider than the neck.
  • The blunt tail ends in a small, sharp spine.
  • It has no earthworm-like body segments.
  • Look-alike: Earthworms can look similar in soil, but they are segmented and the snake is not.
  • Look-alike: Other small burrowing snakes may also look similar; check for the tiny eyes beneath scales and the short, spine-tipped tail.

Where it lives

In Australia it is associated with moist soil, leaf litter, compost, gardens, nurseries and potted plants, especially in warm, humid areas.

Why it matters

  • It eats ant and termite eggs, larvae and pupae, so it preys on brood in nests where it occurs.
  • Its establishment and spread through the plant trade are biosecurity concerns.
  • It is non-venomous and poses no medical threat to people.

How it spreads

  • It is commonly transported unintentionally in soil and potted plants, including through horticultural trade.
  • Movement of soil, leaf litter and plant pots can carry it to new sites.
  • Populations are typically all-female and reproduce without males, so a single transported individual can establish a population.

Control methods

  • If found, capture it carefully by hand or with a suitable container and keep it contained; it is harmless to people.
  • Do not use insecticide as a general control, and avoid moving soil or pots from an infested site.
  • Inspect nearby pots, compost and disturbed soil, and check again after removal.
  • Photograph the animal and record the location; contact the state or territory biosecurity agency for advice, especially for a suspected new occurrence.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Before leaving a site, remove soil and plant material from boots, tools, machinery and containers, and inspect them for snakes or hitchhiking soil.
  • Avoid transporting soil, leaf litter or potted plants from an infested area unless they can be checked and managed.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Prohibited matter. Report it to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 within 24 hours and do not move or deal with it. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Prohibited dealing. All dealings are prohibited in NSW, so it must not be kept, bred, sold, moved or released. Report any sighting to NSW DPIRD. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Prohibited pest animal. It is a prohibited pest animal in Victoria. The Victorian Government is responsible for controlling it, so report any sighting to Agriculture Victoria.
  • South Australia: Declared animal. Declared animals have legal restrictions, which can cover keeping, moving, selling and releasing them, and landowners may be required to control them.
  • Western Australia: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources