Nov
Is It Dangerous?
Dwarf Crowned Snakes are very weakly venomous however are very reluctant to bite. They bluff aggressively, throwing themselves around and feinting striking. Their fangs are also exceedingly small and are unlikely to pierce the skin.
Where Would You Find It?
Dwarf Crowned Snakes spend a good majority of their time underground, foraging for food and taking shelter from predators. Dwarf Crowned Snakes can be found around the home when they are dragged in by cats or after floods when their natural shelter is no longer sustainable. They are also frequently spotted when gardening or removing ground laying timber or debris. Dwarf Crowned Snakes prefer moist environments and are common around coastal forested areas.
How Do They Behave?
Dwarf Crowned Snakes are nocturnally active Snakes. By night, they hunt sleeping skinks in leaf litter and natural debris. By day, they shelter in these same areas. Dwarf Crowned Snakes prefer not to climb and are much more at home on the ground. When threatened, Dwarf Crowned Snakes will thrash around violently, head-butting the attackers. They are also known to periscope their heads off the ground, likely to make themselves look larger than they are.
What Does It Eat?
Dwarf Crowned Snakes are a lizard and Skink hunting species. Due to their slow nature and poor eyesight, Dwarf Crowned Snakes hunt at night when the lizards it hunts are asleep.
How Big Do They Get?
One of the smallest species of Snake, Dwarf Crowned Snakes only grow to a maximum size of 25cm and are much more commonly encountered at 15-20cm.
How Common Are They?
Dwarf Crowned Snakes are a common species despite being infrequently encountered. Due to their secretive nature, Dwarf Crowns mostly go unnoticed in the yard or garden.
What Are Its Similar Species?
Dwarf Crowned Snakes look almost indistinguishable from White Crowned Snakes and look similar to Golden Crowned Snakes aswell. If the Crown is not noted, they can also look like a juvenile Small Eyed Snake or Eastern Brown.
Did You Know?
- The Key difference between White Crowned Snakes and Dwarf Crowned Snakes is the colour of their crown. Dwarf Crowns have a more cream tinge to their crown.
- Dwarf Crowned Snakes have a large white stripe down their belly.
- Dwarf Crowned Snakes have been known to periscope off the ground when threatened.
- Dwarf Crowned Snakes only lay between 2 and 5 eggs per clutch.
A Snake Catchers Story…
“It was relatively late at night when I got a call from a family who were getting in a late night dip in the pool when they saw something a little suss in the pool filter. When I arrived a found a small and very weak Snake; a Dwarf Crowned Snake to be exact. I pulled the little guy out of the water and put him in a chinese container, watching closely as he gradually regained his energy. Eventually he was fit to be released. I can only i9magine he was washed into the pool in that afternoons storm.”