Common Slug-Eater (Duberria lutrix) - harmless. -- Johann Roux (Tygerberg Snake Removal) and I were having breakfast at a coffee shop in Plattekloof this morning when a call came in for a snake someone found whilst cleaning their yard, just 5 minutes away from us. After some searching we found a young Slug-Eater hiding under some tiles. We thought it was quite funny that the house had "Beware Of Snakes" stickers on all of the windows - apparently the previous owner had left before taking these off! Also known as a "tabakrolletjie" in Afrikaans, this relatively common little snake can grow up to 43cm in length. They prefer damp localities near grassland, but can also be found in moist savannah, lowland forest, and fynbos. Diurnal (active during the day), these guys can be found beneath almost any form of cover, including rocks, logs, grass tufts, and vegetation. Known as "The Gardener's Friend", they're useful in keeping down snail populations. When threatened they seldom bite, and prefer rolling up tightly into a spiral with their head concealed (like a roll of tobacco, hence the Afrikaans name "tabakrolletjie"), or using their powerful scent glands to give off a musky smell in self-defense. They prey only on slugs and snails, which they locate by following slime trails. When it consuming a snail it'll grasp the forepart, then slowly pull the rest of the body out of the shell. Viviparous, they give live birth to 6-22 young in late summer. -- Download the “Snake Removal Pro” app to have instant access to your nearest snake catcher’s contact details, read frequently asked questions, watch snake rescue videos, and more: http://bit.ly/snakeremovalpro -- Your donations help us keep our community and wildlife safe! Even tiny amounts from enough of our fans would help us cover our fuel cost & time - simply click on one of the "Donate" buttons here: http://www.bloubergsnakerescue.co.za/ ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-jJ4lFxnjM

Common Brown Water Snake (Lycodonomorphus rufulus) - harmless. -- A Table View resident called me this evening after they found a small brown snake in their house. I identified it as a harmless Common Brown Water Snake for them, then released it back into the vlei nearby. -- Nocturnal and aquatic, Brown Water Snakes can swim very well. They’re usually confined to damp localities near streams and rivers, and although mainly active at night may hunt along shaded streams during the day. Brown Water Snakes feed on frogs, tadpoles, small fish and occasionally nestlings and rodents. Oviparous, they lay 6-23 eggs in mid-summer with young measuring 15-22cm. Learn more: https://bloubergsnakerescue.co.za/our-work/common-brown-water-snake-rescued-near-flamingo-vlei-table-view/ ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixhu79M0zsc