The Bibron’s Blind Snakes are small (under 40 cm) shiny snakes. They are monotone in colour and can be pink, brown or black. They have a rounded head and small, indistinct eyes which are under the scales and a large rostral scale for digging. They have rounded blunt tails and it’s often difficult to distinguish the head from the tail.

The Bibron’s Stiletto Snake has a pointed face and small pig-like eyes. Their scales are rounded and they have a tapered pointy tail with a spike on the very end. They are grayish black to brown in colour and may have a white belly. They thrash about when caught and often arch their neck in a threat display.

It’s easy to confuse a Bibron’s Blind Snake with the Bibron’s Stiletto Snake. The graphic below illustrates how to recognize the key differences between the two species.