Description & Size

• Legless
• No eyelids
• Lacks external ears
• Scales on the back have a ridge in the middle (keeled)
• Single anal scale
• Stripe on each side of the snake that runs head to tail on the 2nd and 3rd scale rows above the belly scales (ventral scales)
• Total length: 41.0-140.0 cm (16.1-55.1 in)
• Back color: dark
• Belly color: white to yellow (usually)

Habitat

• Almost any habitat next to water
• Most common: grassland-woodland edges by water

Diet

• Fish
• Amphibian adults and larvae
• Worms
• Small mammals
• Insects
• Slugs