Common Sharp-Tailed Snake

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If your out gardening or digging a hole you might meet a Sharp-Tailed Snake. Sharp-Tailed Snakes are tiny and harmless, usually no bigger than 12 inches and you might even mistake one for a worm at first.

They’re a dusty brick red color on their backs with two lighter colored stripes running down the length of their bodies. Like most animals their color can be lighter or darker but if you examine one carefully you’ll notice the scale on the very tip of their tail is like a little thorn, which is where they get their name. You might also notice the thin black bands on their belly.

Sharp Tailed Snakes are fossorial, which is a fancy word that means they like to live underground and under rocks, logs or even under leaf litter where it’s a little damp. They eat little salamanders, but also slugs and slug eggs, so they’re a good friend to have around the yard!