Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This has been up and running for about two months now; it's a large enclosure for the world's smallest snake. I used an all-glass tank with a sliding/ locking lid. The idea is that there will be enough space between the surface of the soil and the lid to prevent the snake from making any escapes, and even then, this lid appears to be very secure. The substrate consists of layered gravel, sandy soil, mulch, dried moss and dead leaves, the surface of which is lightly misted twice a day. Several live plants grow inside. There is a small rotting log on the surface which is home to a colony of over 1,000 termites, and I have also added isopods, tiny millipedes, springtails and various insect larvae. Several flat stones provide a place for the snake to forage on the surface while staying out of view. The glass is normally covered with opaque paper, which can be removed to see the animal tunneling alongside the glass. My plan is to simply put the snake inside and leave it alone completely, then check up on it six or seven months from now to see what has happened.

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DAVE

Nice set up we have them in the yard under yard slate tiles during summer here in Florida but for some reason come Nov they are gone again till April.

Neat set-up! Give updates as you progress with this project. I find these snakes quite fascinating. Have you seen the footage of them feeding in David Attenborough's "Life In Cold Blood" DVDs? I found my first Brahminy blind snake this past spring near Gainesville. Really an amazing little creature!
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Carl

In case anyone is interested in how the inhabitants of this enclosure are doing almost one year later, the answer is quite well. I ended up acquiring two Brahminy blindsnakes last fall, one of which is the largest I have ever seen. Care could not be simpler; the pill bug larvae, termites, tiny millipedes and live plants help to aerate and clean the soil. Some of the feeder insects in there are reproducing, so the snakes help themselves whenever they feel like it. I sometimes add some ant eggs, which quickly disappear, but aside from this, I never need to put almost anything into the enclosure. One side of the enclosure is misted heavily with warm water every day, while the other is barely misted at all. This provides a moisture gradient. The snakes are kept in a warm room, so I don't use any additional heat source. They are most active at night, during which time I lift the opaque flap on the front of the glass to watch them tunnel just beneath the surface of the soil. Just last night, I was treated to an incredible surprise: a tiny baby, tunneling only inches from its mother! It's nice to know that the snakes have become acclimated enough to begin reproducing. Ramphotyphlops braminus has proved to be a fascinating, unusual, and very low-maintenance captive. My most important pieces of advice are to give the snake more space than it may appear to need, keep it warm, provide a moisture gradient, and do not disturb. Hopefully other patient keepers will get to experience the joy of keeping these tiny snakes.
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DAVE