Brahminy Blind Snake in my House!

© Monirul Alam

That morning, ( 27 July,2012) when I get up form sleep I receive an interesting news, In my house found a Brahminy Blind Snake local name Dumuka Shap ! To me it’s really surprising news!

I thought how can it’s possible in our resident there is no garden (except a few flower pot on the rooftop), pond, even any agriculture activities or green filed. That area’s where I live it is completely a concrete of Jangle!

My wife Bubli said, last night when she takes a shahari (during the fasting month of Ramadan) with my other family members they saw that snake walk in our dining room, while they are afraid after that they captured and put on the plastic battle.

My younger sister name Nazma Akther who is an assistant professor of Zoology Govt. Eden College Dhaka she identified, and said according to the Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, volume 25, Ramphotyphlops braminus (Daudin 1803)  is a harmless blind snake ( local name Dumuka Shap, Kana Shap, Kecho Shap) species is very common in Africa and Asia. Usually occur in urban and agricultural areas. These snakes are very friendly with farmer. The snake’s length is around 6-17 cm. The adult snakes shiny silver grey, pale, dark or reddish-brown underneath with a paler snout.

These snake live underground in ant and termite nests. They are also found under logs, moist leaves and humus in wet forest, dry jungle and even city gardens. It is also found at the leaf bases of banana plants. The distribution and survival of this group of snakes directly reflect soli and temperature. Their diet consists of the larvae, eggs and pupae of ants and termites.

I am more interested about that snake and taken pictures and measuring its length around 10cm. It is still alive and agitates on the bottle.

Finally we assume how it’s came to our house, Yes it came to our house from the fruit market, where my elder brother buy some pineapple, somehow that snakes’ hide on the pineapple’s leaf. In our dining room two pineapples keep on the floor, maybe on the night time that snake go out from the pineapple and left on the floor and agitate!

Do you think or curious what about the last position of that snake? Yes that snake is keeps my sister college and preserve it for research. I think it’s really a different experience to us.

Moniurl Alam/28 July 2012 Dhaka