Shovel-Snout Snake
Species Description

Shovel-Snout Snakes comprise the genus Prosymna, containing approximately 16 species of small, burrowing snakes distributed across sub-Saharan Africa. The common name directly references their distinctive flattened, shovel-shaped rostral scale that facilitates burrowing through soil and sand. This specialized snout represents their most recognizable feature.

Individual species within Prosymna include the Two-Striped Shovel-Snout (Prosymna bivittata), East African Shovel-Snout (Prosymna stuhlmannii), and South African Shovel-Snout (Prosymna sundevallii), among others. Species identification can be challenging, and exact species in captivity are often uncertain. Fortunately, care requirements remain similar across the genus.

Within herpetological literature, these snakes may also be called Shovel-Nosed Snakes or African Shovel-Snout Snakes. Their secretive nature and specialized diet mean they rarely appear in the pet trade, remaining primarily of interest to specialists and researchers rather than general hobbyists. Understanding their extreme dietary specialization explains their rarity in captivity.

Shovel-Snout Snakes are diminutive serpents typically reaching only 10-18 inches in length depending on species. Their slender, cylindrical bodies are adapted for their fossorial lifestyle, moving efficiently through soil and beneath surface debris. The overall build is smooth and streamlined for subterranean navigation.

The most distinctive feature is the modified rostral scale forming a flattened, shovel-like structure at the snout tip. This specialized scale allows efficient burrowing through loose substrates and probing into crevices where reptile eggs may be deposited. The head is small and barely distinct from the neck, further streamlining the body for burrowing.

Coloration varies by species but typically features gray, brown, tan, or olive dorsal coloration, often with darker stripes, spots, or uniform coloration. Some species display contrasting head markings or banded patterns. The ventral surface is usually lighter. Overall appearance is subtle and cryptic rather than showy.

Their eyes are small, reflecting a lifestyle spent primarily underground where vision is less important than tactile and chemical senses. Scales are smooth and polished, reducing friction during burrowing. The tail is short and slightly pointed. These anatomical features collectively optimize them for their specialized fossorial, egg-hunting niche.

Shovel-Snout Snakes display shy, secretive temperaments focused entirely on concealment and avoidance. When exposed, their immediate response is to burrow back into substrate or seek cover. They show virtually no defensive aggression, lacking the size or disposition for effective defense. Their strategy is simply to disappear.

Handling these tiny snakes causes obvious stress, with frantic burrowing attempts and escape behavior. They don't settle into handling the way many snake species do. This temperament makes them unsuitable for keepers seeking handleable pets. Their appeal lies in creating appropriate habitats and observing natural behaviors—primarily burrowing—rather than interaction.

Feeding behavior reflects their extreme dietary specialization. In the wild, Shovel-Snout Snakes locate buried or hidden reptile eggs through chemical cues, excavating them with their modified snouts. They swallow eggs whole after puncturing or crushing the shell. This hunting strategy requires specific prey items essentially unavailable to most keepers.

Nocturnal activity patterns characterize their behavior. Daytime finds them completely hidden beneath substrate, surfacing—if at all—only after dark. Even nocturnal surface activity is limited unless they're actively seeking food or mates. Most of their lives occur in the hidden subterranean realm.

Their fossorial nature creates a fundamental challenge for observation. Keepers rarely see their Shovel-Snout Snakes without deliberately excavating substrate—an action that causes stress and defeats the purpose of providing appropriate hiding opportunities. Accepting limited visibility is essential for keeping this species appropriately.

Housing Shovel-Snout Snakes requires enclosures emphasizing substrate depth over floor space. A 10-gallon enclosure provides adequate footprint for these tiny snakes. The critical factor is providing 4-6 inches of appropriate burrowing substrate allowing natural fossorial behavior. Without deep, loose substrate, these snakes cannot behave naturally.

Substrate selection is the single most important husbandry decision. Loose, diggable substrates that hold burrows without collapsing work best. Mixtures of coconut fiber with sand, or specialized reptile excavator substrates, allow burrowing while maintaining structure. Pure sand collapses too easily; pure soil may compact. Finding the right balance requires experimentation.

Enclosure security requires tight-fitting lids with no gaps. These tiny snakes can escape through remarkably small openings. Simple glass tanks with secure screen lids work well. Ensure all ventilation gaps are smaller than the snake's head diameter.

Temperature management should create gentle gradients within the substrate. The warm end should reach 80-82°F at substrate level with a surface basking spot around 85°F, while the cool end remains around 72-75°F. Under-tank heaters covering one-third of the enclosure floor create appropriate gradients. Always use thermostats with any heating element.

Humidity of 40-60% suits most Shovel-Snout Snake species. Their burrowing lifestyle allows them to access moister substrate layers when needed. Maintaining slight moisture gradients—drier surface, damper depths—replicates natural conditions. Occasional light misting replaces evaporated moisture.

Furnishing is minimal given their fossorial lifestyle. Surface decorations are largely ignored. A shallow water dish for drinking, small pieces of bark or flat stones they might shelter beneath, and perhaps some leaf litter complete the simple setup. The substrate itself is the primary furnishing.

Shovel-Snout Snakes are extreme dietary specialists consuming primarily reptile eggs—specifically eggs of geckos, small skinks, and similar small lizards. This diet presents the fundamental challenge making them unsuitable for most keepers. Sourcing appropriate eggs consistently ranges from difficult to impossible for anyone without access to breeding reptile colonies.

Appropriate prey items include gecko eggs (various species), small skink eggs, and potentially small snake eggs. The eggs must be fresh and appropriately sized for the individual snake—typically quite small given these snakes' diminutive dimensions. Unfertilized eggs may be refused; fertilized eggs are typically preferred.

Keepers who maintain breeding colonies of leopard geckos, day geckos, or similar species may be able to supply Shovel-Snout Snakes with appropriate eggs from their own production. This represents the most reliable approach but requires maintaining separate reptile breeding programs specifically to feed these snakes.

Attempts to convert Shovel-Snout Snakes to alternative prey items like pinky mice, worms, or commercially available bird eggs have extremely limited success. Their feeding apparatus and instincts are specialized for reptile eggs. While individual snakes occasionally accept alternatives, this cannot be relied upon.

Feeding frequency when appropriate eggs are available follows typical small snake patterns—offering eggs every 5-7 days for juveniles, every 7-14 days for adults. They may consume multiple small eggs per feeding session. Their specialized diet makes nutritional supplementation difficult.

Fresh water should always be available in a shallow dish, though these snakes derive significant moisture from their prey. Given the challenges of their diet, maintaining hydration through environmental humidity and available drinking water becomes particularly important.

Shovel-Snout Snakes maintained under appropriate conditions with reliable food sources can live 8-12 years. However, their extreme dietary specialization makes successful long-term captive maintenance challenging. Most health issues stem from nutritional inadequacy due to inability to source appropriate prey, or stress from inadequate substrate and hiding opportunities.

Shovel-Snout Snake success depends almost entirely on solving their dietary requirements. Keepers who cannot reliably source reptile eggs should not attempt keeping these specialists. Those with access to appropriate prey and willingness to provide fossorial environments find them fascinating examples of extreme ecological specialization.

Handling Shovel-Snout Snakes should be minimized given their stress response to exposure and manipulation. These are emphatically not handling snakes. Their small size makes them fragile, and their temperament makes handling stressful rather than enriching. Keepers should accept that hands-on interaction is inappropriate for this species.

When handling becomes necessary—for enclosure maintenance, health checks, or relocation—work gently and briefly. Support their small body without squeezing. Accept that they will attempt to burrow through your fingers and escape. Complete necessary tasks quickly and return them to substrate promptly.

Routine maintenance should minimize disturbance. Spot cleaning can often occur without locating the snake if they're buried. Water changes don't require snake handling. When substrate replacement becomes necessary, accept that you'll need to temporarily disturb the snake but work efficiently to minimize exposure time.

Health monitoring presents challenges given their hidden lifestyle. Weight tracking requires periodic handling that causes stress. Visual health assessment requires excavating hidden snakes. Balance monitoring needs against stress costs. Noting feeding responses, fecal production, and shed quality provides health indicators without direct handling.

Observation without disturbance represents the appropriate relationship with Shovel-Snout Snakes. Enjoying glimpses during rare surface activity, noting feeding acceptance, and appreciating their fascinating ecology through research rather than interaction aligns with their nature. Those requiring handleable pets should choose different species.

Shovel-Snout Snakes suit only specialized keepers with dedicated interest in fossorial African snakes AND reliable access to reptile egg prey sources. These are research-interest or specialist-collection animals rather than general hobbyist pets. Their extreme dietary requirements place them firmly in advanced-only territory.

The dietary challenge cannot be overstated. Without reliable reptile egg sources, keeping Shovel-Snout Snakes means watching them slowly starve. Keepers must honestly assess their access to appropriate prey before acquisition. Breeding colonies of egg-laying geckos specifically to supply food represents the most sustainable approach but adds significant commitment.

Their fossorial nature means extremely limited visibility. Keepers must accept that their snake will be invisible most of the time, buried in substrate. Those wanting visible, displayable pets will find Shovel-Snout Snakes frustrating. Appreciation must come from knowing the animal is thriving underground rather than watching active behavior.

Space requirements are minimal, potentially suiting keepers with limited room. The small enclosure footprint fits almost anywhere. However, the substrate depth requirements and specialized feeding make them inappropriate for casual small-snake keeping despite minimal space needs.

Financial considerations depend heavily on prey sourcing. If maintaining gecko breeding colonies for eggs, costs include those entire operations. Wild-caught specimens may have initial parasite treatment costs. Enclosure costs are minimal given their small size.

Legal status varies by species and location. Some African countries regulate export, and import regulations vary by destination country. Verify legal acquisition channels before purchasing. Given their specialist nature, few dealers offer them, making reputable sourcing challenging regardless of legality.