Is the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake venomous?

No. The Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake (Rhinotyphlops lalandei) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.

Is the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake dangerous?

The Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Typhlopidae

Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake

Harmless

Rhinotyphlops lalandei

Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake — Rhinotyphlops lalandei, © Martjie Fia Fourie

6 photographs of the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake. © Martjie Fia Fourie.

The Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake (Rhinotyphlops lalandei) is a non-venomous snake in the Typhlopidae family.

Family: Typhlopidae

About the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake

Rhinotyphlops lalandei, known commonly as Delalande's beaked blind snake, is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is endemic to southern Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, lalandei, is in honor of French naturalist Pierre Antoine Delalande.

Description

R. lalandei is a slender, pinkish-grey, blind snake, which has a pointed nose that it uses for burrowing.

It may attain a maximum snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 35 cm (13+3⁄4 in). The dorsal scales are arranged in 26–30 rows around the body. There are more than 300 dorsal scales in the vertebral row.

The nostrils are located below the sharp horizontal cutting edge of the snout. The total length (including tail) is 35 to 50 times the diameter of the body. The tail is as broad as long, or broader than long, ending in a spine.

Geographic range

R. lalandei occurs throughout the eastern half of Southern Africa, as far south as Cape Town and with isolated populations in western parts such as Namibia.

Habitat

R. lalandei can be found in a variety of habitats including semidesert, savannah, coastal bush, and fynbos, at altitudes from sea level to 2,200 m (7,200 ft).

Reproduction

The species R. lalandei is oviparous. The female lays a clutch of 2–4 eggs. The hatchlings are flesh-colored.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake

Is the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake venomous?: No. The Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake (Rhinotyphlops lalandei) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
Is the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake dangerous?: The Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Why is it called the Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake?: The specific name, lalandei, is in honor of French naturalist Pierre Antoine Delalande.

More Typhlopidae snakes

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards: Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits: Typhlopidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Rhinotyphlops
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Rhinotyphlops lalandei

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.