# Flat-headed Snake (*Tantilla gracilis*)

The Flat-headed Snake is a small, gentle snake that loves to hide under rocks and leaves. It has a flat head that helps it squeeze into tight spaces and stay safe from predators.

- **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Flat-headed Snake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tantilla_gracilis%252C_Seitenansicht.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Peter Paplanus, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tantilla_gracilis%252C_Seitenansicht.jpg)

## Appearance

The Flat-headed Snake is a small, slender reptile with a distinctive flattened head and a dark cap-like marking. Its body is typically a uniform reddish-brown or tan, contrasting with its darker head and pale belly.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Squamata
- **Order:** Serpentes
- **Family:** Colubridae
- **Genus:** Tantilla

## Interesting facts

- A flat-headed snake could easily coil up and fit inside a child's hand!
- Their special flat heads help them dig through tight spaces like expert miners!
- They spend most of their lives hidden beneath rocks, logs, or deep in soil!
- This tiny snake's venom is harmless to humans, only affecting its small prey!

## Special abilities

- **Stealthy Hunter:** Flat-headed Snake can inject mild venom to subdue tiny prey like centipedes, making capture quick and effective.
- **Night Prowler:** Flat-headed Snake has excellent senses for detecting prey underground, allowing them to hunt effectively in the dark.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 15-25 cm
- **Weight:** 0.005-0.015 kg
- **Lifespan:** 5-8 years
- **Speed:** 0.5 km/h
- **Clutch Size:** 1-4
- **Incubation:** 45-60 days

## Diet & Feeding

This little snake mostly eats tiny invertebrates found underground.

- **Primary Foods:** centipedes, millipedes, spider larvae, soft-bodied insects
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Hunts:** common green centipede (*Scolopendra viridis*) — A primary food source for the snake.
- **Eaten by:** Eastern racer (*Coluber constrictor*) — Larger snakes sometimes prey on them.
- **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Nocturnal birds of prey hunt these snakes.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.
- [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.

## Collections

- [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

If you see a snake, it's best to watch from a distance and not touch it.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Flat-headed Snake?

Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Flat-headed Snake?

15-25 cm

### How much does Flat-headed Snake weigh?

0.005-0.015 kg

### How long does Flat-headed Snake live?

5-8 years

### How fast can Flat-headed Snake move?

0.5 km/h

### What does Flat-headed Snake eat?

This little snake mostly eats tiny invertebrates found underground.

### Where is Flat-headed Snake usually found?

Grasslands

### How does Flat-headed Snake hunt?

Foraging

## Where to spot

- [Ste. Genevieve Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ste-genevieve-historic-district) — Missouri, US · Historic District

## More Reptiles

- [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*)
- [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*)
- [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*)
- [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*)

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Source: [Flat-headed Snake: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/flat-headed-snake)