Posted by Susan Barnhart on August 22, 2007

Q: I have found two tiny baby snakes about a week apart. The first was about the size of a small paperclip unfolded. It was just on my tile floor in the morning and I saw it move so I picked it up and moved it outside. The second was under a rug and about the size of a large paperclip. I have it in a container at the moment. It is black and has no markings that I can see, but it is very, very small. I have only occupied the house for 3 months after extensive renovations. I keep it extremely clean and have it serviced by Orkin for bugs. The second snake has me kind of freaked out. I don't really mind snakes...but not in my house. Any ideas of what is going on and what I can do to prevent and/or get rid of any more snakes in my house? Thanks for you help.

Habitat: suburban/yard

State: Florida

Habitat: suburban/yard

A: Sorry to take so long to get back to you with your question. I can certainly understand why you're uneasy about snakes in your home and I think I have the answer.

From your description, it sounds to me that you've had a couple of Brahminy Blind Snakes (Ramphotyphlops braminus)in the house. This is a non-native snake that has been brought into the U.S. via potted plants. This snake has been accidentally introduced into southern Florida, including the Keys, and turns up unexpectedly in homes. My guess is that you either recently bought some nursery plants or brought some into your home when you moved and this is the source of the snakes. These animals are totally harmless so no need to worry about family or pets. Hope this solves your mystery.

John Wiessinger ( August 28, 2007)