Bandy Bandy (Vermicella annulata)

The Bandy Bandy is one of Australia’s most distinctive looking snakes due to its bold black and white banding. Although this species occurs across much of Australia, it is uncommonly encountered on the Sunshine Coast.

This snake is nocturnal and fossorial, meaning it spends much of its time underground or hidden beneath debris during the day and emerges at night to hunt. Because of this secretive behaviour, sightings are relatively rare.

Despite being venomous, the Bandy Bandy is generally considered harmless to humans due to its small mouth and non-aggressive nature.

Description

About the Bandy Bandy Snake

The Bandy Bandy snake is black in colour with thick white bands that completely encircle the body from head to tail. These striking markings make it one of the easiest Australian snakes to identify.

This species is relatively small, typically growing between 50–60cm in length. The head is rounded and blends smoothly into the body, with very small eyes that are difficult to distinguish from the surrounding scales.

Their tail is short and blunt, which helps them move easily through soil and loose ground while burrowing.

Habitat

Where Can You Find the Bandy Bandy Snake?

The Bandy Bandy snake is nocturnal and a burrower, commonly found in habitats such as:

• coastal forests
• woodlands
• scrubland
• grassland
• even some arid inland regions

Because they spend most of their time underground, they are often found beneath leaf litter, logs, rocks, or loose soil.

Although uncommon, they may occasionally appear in gardens or near homes, particularly after rain or if disturbed by pets.

Venom

Is The Bandy Bandy Snake Dangerous?

The Bandy Bandy snake is venomous, but weakly so. Bites are extremely rare and usually only cause localised symptoms around the bite area.

Due to their small mouths and generally docile nature, they are not considered dangerous to humans.

When threatened, the Bandy Bandy is well known for its defensive display, where it lifts sections of its body into loop shapes above the ground to deter predators.

Diet

What Does the Bandy Bandy Snake Eat?

The Bandy Bandy has a very specialised diet and feeds almost exclusively on blind snakes.

These snakes hunt at night, searching beneath soil and debris where blind snakes are commonly found.

Handling

What to do if you see a Bandy Bandy Snake

If you encounter a Bandy Bandy snake in your yard or garden, keep pets and children well away while maintaining a safe distance.

Although this species is not considered dangerous, snakes should never be handled by members of the public.

You can then call the Snake Rescue Sunny Coast team to safely capture and relocate the snake somewhere more suitable.

Remember, snakes should only ever be handled or relocated by people with the appropriate permit or license to do so.