30/08/2026
Common Slug-eater seen at Paardevlei on a location shoot for The Two Tall Ladies production, Plaston, at the The Playhouse Theatre.
You would be forgiven for thinking this tiny snake was a baby snakelet, but it’s not, it is just that small. In fact when we stumbled upon this one it looked somewhat like a brown shoelace. Now for those of you who shudder at the thought of finding a snake in your backyard, actually this is one you actually WANT to invite into your garden. If you love your veggie patch or garden blooms this little guy is your best friend as it exclusively feeds on slugs and snails, is non venomous and almost never bites.
Their Afrikaans nickname is tabakrolletjie because when threatened they roll into a tight flat spiral with its head hidden in the middle.
Another interesting fact about them is that they are one among a minority of snake species that give birth to live young. This is believed to be an adaptation to colder climates where the mother can actively move into the sun to keep babies warm.
