M
Species Profile

Mole Snake

Pseudaspis cana

Big bite, no venom-rodent remover
Dewald Kirsten/Shutterstock.com

Mole Snake Distribution

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Endemic Species
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Found in 5 countries

đŸ‡¿đŸ‡¦ South Africa đŸ‡³đŸ‡¦ Namibia đŸ‡§đŸ‡¼ Botswana đŸ‡±đŸ‡¸ Lesotho đŸ‡¸đŸ‡¿ Eswatini
Mole Snake

At a Glance

Wild Species
Also Known As African mole snake, Cape mole snake
Diet Carnivore
Activity Diurnal+
Lifespan 8 years
Weight 3 lbs
Status Least Concern
Did You Know?

Size: commonly ~1.0-1.6 m total length; large adults can exceed 2.0 m (field guides report maxima around ~2.2 m).

Scientific Classification

The Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana) is a large, robust, primarily terrestrial and semi-fossorial snake of southern Africa. It is non-venomous and a strong constrictor, known for preying heavily on rodents and occasionally taking birds and other small vertebrates.

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Family
Lamprophiidae
Genus
Pseudaspis
Species
Pseudaspis cana

Distinguishing Features

  • Large, heavy-bodied snake; adults commonly well over 1 m and can be considerably larger
  • Blunt-headed, powerful-jawed appearance; adapted to taking rodents in burrows
  • Coloration variable (often dark brown to black, sometimes lighter brown/grey), typically relatively uniform compared with many patterned sympatric snakes
  • Non-venomous; kills prey by constriction

Physical Measurements

Length
4 ft 7 in (3 ft 3 in – 7 ft 3 in)
Weight
3 lbs (1 lbs – 7 lbs)
Tail Length
9 in (5 in – 1 ft 2 in)

Appearance

Primary Colors
Black Brown Gray
Secondary Colors
Cream Yellow Red
Skin Type Smooth, glossy overlapping scales (typical lamprophiid appearance); robust, muscular body with semi-fossorial abrasion-resistant sheen.
Distinctive Features
  • Large, robust, thick-bodied snake; adults commonly ~1.0-1.6 m total length; maximum reported around ~2.0 m in southern Africa field literature.
  • Head only slightly distinct from neck; blunt, shovel-like snout suited to digging and pushing through soil.
  • Small eyes with round pupils; overall 'mole-like' head profile compared with many surface-active snakes.
  • Smooth, highly glossy scales create a polished appearance; color is often uniformly dark (black/brown/gray).
  • Short-to-moderate tail relative to body; strong trunk musculature consistent with constriction and burrow entry.
  • Often associated with rodent burrows, termitaria, and loose soils; frequently encountered in agricultural areas where rodents are abundant.
  • Non-venomous constrictor; preys heavily on rodents (notably pest species), but may also take birds and other small vertebrates.
  • Defensive behavior can include loud hissing, vigorous striking, and neck-flattening that can cause confusion with cobras (Naja spp.) despite lacking a true hood.

Sexual Dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism is subtle: males typically have proportionally longer tails and a slightly slimmer posterior body, while females are often heavier-bodied and can average slightly larger overall size in some populations.

♂
  • Proportionally longer tail (more post-cloacal length).
  • Often slightly slimmer build compared with females of similar length.
♀
  • Often more robust/heavier-bodied, especially when gravid.
  • Can average slightly larger total length in some populations, though overlap is substantial.

Did You Know?

Size: commonly ~1.0-1.6 m total length; large adults can exceed 2.0 m (field guides report maxima around ~2.2 m).

Despite being non-venomous, it can deliver a very strong bite and may hold on-its main weapons are jaws and constriction.

It often follows and uses existing burrows (especially rodent and mole-rat tunnels) rather than digging long new ones from scratch.

Diet is strongly rodent-focused, including burrowing species (e.g., mole-rats), making it an important natural pest controller around farms.

Color is often uniform dark brown to black in adults; many juveniles show more patterning, which fades with age.

It's a lamprophiid-part of a southern African snake family that includes many active, terrestrial hunters (from house snakes to larger, robust predators like this one).

Unique Adaptations

  • Robust, muscular build suited to overpowering sturdy prey (rats and mole-rats) and to pushing through tight burrow spaces.
  • Short, strong head/neck profile (relative to many slender colubriform snakes), aiding forceful biting and grappling with rodents.
  • Semi-fossorial lifestyle: frequent use of subterranean refuges buffers temperature and reduces water loss in dry landscapes.
  • Dark, often uniform adult coloration can improve heat absorption for faster warm-up in cool mornings (useful for a terrestrial hunter).

Interesting Behaviors

  • Semi-fossorial hunting: frequently searches along the edges of burrow systems, entering tunnels to pursue rodents.
  • Constrict-and-pin feeding: grabs prey with strong jaws, then uses body coils to restrain and subdue before swallowing head-first.
  • Defensive bluffing: may hiss loudly, inflate the body slightly, and raise the forebody-leading to misidentification as dangerous snakes.
  • Persistence when threatened: instead of quick strikes-and-release, it may bite and hold, using body weight and leverage.
  • Crepuscular to diurnal activity in suitable weather: often seen moving on the surface during warm periods, but retreats underground during extremes.

Cultural Significance

Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana) in southern Africa is common on farms and veld edges because it follows rodents and burrows. It helps control pests but people often kill it from fear; education says it is non-venomous.

Myths & Legends

In South African frontier tales and Namaqualand/Northern Cape lore, "Molslang" (mole snake, Pseudaspis cana) is shown as a giant snake living in burrows and guarding underground treasure like diamonds.

In rural southern African communities, snakes seen near homes or pens are seen as signs of good or bad luck. The mole snake (Pseudaspis cana), near rodents, is part of these beliefs despite being non-venomous.

Historical naming association: early colonial/Afrikaans usage of "molslang" reflects the species' frequent discovery in rodent burrows and mole-rat tunnels-an origin story in local natural-history tradition that shaped how people talk about and interpret the snake.

Conservation Status

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant in the wild.

Population Stable

Protected Under

  • Not listed on the CITES Appendices (no international trade controls specific to this species).
  • Occurs in multiple protected areas across its range (e.g., national parks and provincial/nature reserves in southern Africa).
  • Subject to general wildlife protection/animal cruelty and provincial conservation ordinances in parts of its range; species-specific legal protection varies by jurisdiction.

Life Cycle

Birth 12 hatchlings
Lifespan 8 years

Lifespan

In the Wild
5–12 years
In Captivity
12–20 years

Reproduction

Mating System Data Deficient
Social Structure Solitary
Breeding Pattern Transient
Fertilization Internal Fertilization
Birth Type Internal_fertilization

Mole snakes are primarily solitary and likely meet only briefly to mate during the breeding season. Reproduction is via internal fertilization (male hemipenes); females are oviparous and provide no post-oviposition parental care.

Behavior & Ecology

Social Solitary Group: 1
Activity Diurnal, Crepuscular, Nocturnal
Diet Carnivore Small mammals-especially rodents, including burrow-dwelling mole-rats (reported as a frequent prey category in diet accounts).
Seasonal Hibernates

Temperament

Largely solitary, terrestrial or semi-fossorial rodent-hunter; brief pairings mainly during the breeding season.
Often described as bold/defensive when threatened; may bite and hold, and can constrict defensively.
Retreats into burrows, rodent tunnels, or under cover; uses powerful body to push through soil/vegetation.
Seasonality varies regionally: increased surface activity in warmer/rainy periods; sheltering in cold/dry spells.
Size: commonly reported ~1.0-1.5 m total length; large adults may approach ~2 m (regional field guides).
Longevity: no robust peer-reviewed lifespan estimates located for Pseudaspis cana; wild lifespan unquantified.

Communication

Hissing (defensive exhalation) when cornered or handled
Chemosensory tracking via tongue-flicking and vomeronasal organ Prey and mates
Pheromonal cues (skin/cloacal secretions) for mate recognition and reproductive condition.
Tactile communication during courtship Body alignment, chin-rubbing/pressing typical of snakes
Visual/threat displays: elevated head/forebody, directed striking, persistent biting if restrained.
Substrate vibration/body thrashing as a deterrent when threatened near cover or in burrows.

Habitat

Savanna Grassland Shrubland Desert Woodland Mountain Cliff/Rocky Outcrop Coastal Agricultural/Farmland Suburban Urban Plantation +6
Biomes:
Savanna Temperate Grassland Mediterranean Desert Hot Desert Cold Tropical Dry Forest Temperate Forest +1
Terrain:
Plains Hilly Plateau Mountainous Valley Rocky Sandy +1
Elevation: Up to 8202 ft 1 in

Ecological Role

Terrestrial mesopredator in southern African ecosystems, with a strong trophic linkage to small-mammal (rodent) populations.

Natural suppression of rodent populations (including pest species in agro-ecosystems) Stabilizes small-vertebrate community dynamics by predation pressure on abundant small mammals Supports food webs by converting small-mammal biomass into prey available to larger predators (e.g., raptors and mammalian carnivores)

Diet Details

Main Prey:
Rodents Burrow-dwelling mole-rats Shrews Small birds and nestlings Lizards Small snakes

Human Interaction

Domestication Status

Wild

Pseudaspis cana (mole snake) has no history of domestication or selective breeding. People meet it by chance on farms, in gardens, or on roads. It is sometimes caught for removal and kept by a few owners. In Lamprophiidae, small house snakes live with people, while larger species like P. cana are kept less and often killed from fear.

Danger Level

Moderate
  • Non-venomous (no medically significant venom), but large adults can deliver deep, painful bites and may hold on; mechanical injury can require wound care (field guides frequently note its readiness to bite when handled).
  • Secondary infection risk from oral bacteria after a bite if not cleaned promptly.
  • Human safety risk increases during attempted capture/handling; improper handling can lead to lacerations, especially in larger specimens.
  • Indirect risk: often mistaken for venomous snakes in southern Africa, leading to people approaching too closely or attempting risky killing/removal attempts.

As a Pet

Not Suitable as Pet

Legality: Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana) is not CITES-listed and often not banned by national law, but rules depend on local law. In South Africa permits and proof of origin are often needed; US rules vary.

Care Level: Experienced

Purchase Cost: $50 - $300
Lifetime Cost: $3,000 - $12,000

Economic Value

Uses:
Ecosystem services (rodent control) Limited live-animal trade (hobbyist/educational) Ecotourism/education (wildlife displays, guided herping)
Products:
  • biological pest-control service via predation on rodents in agricultural and peri-urban settings
  • occasional display animal for education/outreach (where legally permitted)
  • limited sale/transfer of captive-held individuals (no established large-scale commercial production)

Relationships

Predators 10

Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius
Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus
Black-chested Snake Eagle Circaetus pectoralis
Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus
Nile Monitor
Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus
Rock Monitor Varanus albigularis
Honey Badger
Honey Badger Mellivora capensis
Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo
Slender Mongoose Galerella sanguinea
Cape Cobra
Cape Cobra Naja nivea

Related Species 5

Brown House Snake Boaedon capensis Shared Family
Common slug snake Duberria lutrix Shared Family
Sand Snakes Psammophis Shared Family
Rinkhals
Rinkhals Hemachatus haemachatus Shared Order
Puff Adder
Puff Adder Bitis arietans Shared Order

Ecological Equivalents 5

Animals that fill a similar ecological role in their ecosystem

Brown House Snake Boaedon capensis Occurs across southern Africa, uses ground cover in human-altered habitats, preys mainly on small mammals (especially rodents), is non-front-fanged, and is often found near buildings and in rocky hiding places.
Sand Snakes Psammophis spp. Shares open-country, savanna, and fynbos-edge habitats and serves as a predator of rodents and other small animals. Unlike the mole snake (Pseudaspis cana), it hunts mainly by day and uses less cover, making it a functional counterpart.
Puff Adder
Puff Adder Bitis arietans Shares ground habitats and prey (rodents and small birds). Both are ground ambush predators of small mammals, but Bitis arietans is venomous; the mole snake is nonvenomous and kills by constriction.
Cape Cobra
Cape Cobra Naja nivea Mole snakes share southern African terrestrial habitats and primarily eat rodents. Both use burrows and termite mounds and hunt near rodent aggregations. They are seen as similar rodent-control predators where their ranges overlap, although Cape cobras are venomous and more active by day.
Slug-eater Duberria lutrix Overlaps in moist, covered microhabitats (under logs, in leaf litter, and in gardens) and is similarly terrestrial and secretive, but occupies a different trophic niche — a gastropod specialist versus the Mole Snake's rodent-focused predation. Included as a microhabitat analogue among sympatric lamprophiids (Branch; Alexander & Marais).

“The mole snake can reach a length of 6.8 feet”

The mole snake lives in the grasslands, deserts, savannas, and shrublands of South Africa. This snake is an expert at burrowing into the ground for shelter and in pursuit of prey. It feeds mainly on rodents and bird eggs. Though it’s not venomous, this snake has curved, sharp teeth and a bite that can require a person to get stitches.

4 Mole Snake Amazing Facts

  • A baby mole snake is eight to nine inches long.
  • Honey badger are predators of this snake.
  • Its pointed snout helps it to burrow underground with ease.
  • Mole snakes give birth to 25-50 babies.

Where to Find Mole Snakes

The mole snake is native to the southern part of Africa. It’s found in Lesotho, Botswana, Angola, Tanzania, and Zambia. They live in grasslands, shrublands, deserts and savannas.

This African snake is an expert at burrowing in dirt and sand especially when in pursuit of prey. They are active during breeding season in late spring. Late spring occurs in the month of October in South Africa.

Mole Snake Scientific Name

Pseudaspis cana is the scientific name of a mole snake. It’s named the mole snake because the golden mole is a main component in its diet. It’s in the Pseudaspididae family and the class Reptilia.

The Pseudaspididae family contains four species. As a note, the mole snake is the only member of its genus.

The three other species in its family include:

• Western keeled snake
• Spotted mock viper
• Common mock viper

Mole Snake Population & Conservation Status

The population of the mole snake is not known. But biologists have noted a decrease in this snake’s numbers in the area of Lake Naivasha where it was once plentiful. This is due to the expansion of farmland.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species doesn’t display a population trend for this African snake. However, the IUCN Redlist categorizes the mole snake as Least Concern.

How to Identify a Mole Snake: Appearance and Description

The body of this snake can be black, dark brown, or light brown. Some of them have a reddish tone. Its scales are lighter in color on its belly.

This reptile has a thick body with smooth, shiny scales. Its snout is pointed and there’s little difference in the width between its head and its body. This snake can be as long as 6.8 feet.

A baby or juvenile mole snake has gray or brown scales with a dark pattern of zigzags as well as with white spots on its back. This pattern fades as a baby mole snake grows into adulthood.

Mole Snakes and Cape Cobras

Mole snakes are sometimes mistaken for Cape cobras. This may seem strange because a mole snake doesn’t rear up and expand a hood like a Cape cobra. But, when a Cape cobra is slithering through its grassland habitat in South Africa, its dark brown or black scales can easily fool someone into thinking it’s a mole snake.

One notable difference between the two snakes is the mole snake has a pointed snout whereas a Cape cobra has more of a squarish-shaped one.

Mole Snakes and Bibron’s Mole Vipers

Another lookalike snake is the Bibron’s mole viper. The Bibron’s mole viper lives in South Africa, burrows in the ground, and has dark brown or black scales. It shares all of these features with a mole snake.

One of the biggest differences between the Bibron’s mole viper and the mole snake is a Bibron’s mole viper has rotating fangs. Its fangs stick out of the side of its mouth. These fangs allow it to strike head-on as well as from the side. Not surprisingly, it’s dangerous to hold this snake even by gripping it behind its head. It can whip its head to the side to strike with its fangs!

How to identify a mole snake:

• Black, dark brown, light brown or reddish body
• Lighter colored belly scales
• A thick body
• Smooth, shiny scales
• A pointed snout
• Head and body blend into one another without a notable difference in width

Mole Snake: How Dangerous Are They?

The mole snake is not venomous, but that doesn’t mean it’s harmless. This snake has curved teeth with a sharp edge on the back of each one. So, when this snake goes to bite its prey, it sinks its teeth in with a knife-like sharpness. Furthermore, this snake is known to bob its head after issuing a bite. This motion allows it to cut even deeper into its prey. Some biologists compare this African reptile’s teeth to a can opener!

Though you don’t have to worry about a venomous bite from a mole snake, it is going to be painful if you are bitten. The first step to take if you’re bitten is to remain still and try to stay calm. Next, go to a hospital for medical treatment. Put a cloth over the bite to slow the bleeding. A mole snake’s bite can be very deep and require stitches. Plus, it needs to be given proper care by a medical professional in order to avoid the development of infection.

Mole Snake Behavior and Humans

Mole snakes are not aggressive unless they are threatened or cornered. Generally, they take cover in a burrow underground or beneath dry vegetation if they see a threat.

If someone were to step on a mole snake or reach into a burrow where one is hiding, they are likely to receive a painful bite. The snake bites as a means of self-protection and not because of an aggressive nature.

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Sources

  1. https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/snake/mole-snake/
  2. https://capesnakeconservation.com/mole-snake/
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_snake
  4. https://seasonsyear.com/South-Africa
  5. http://www.wild-facts.com/2013/golden-mole/
  6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_cobra
  7. https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/snake/bibrons-stiletto-snake/
Austin S.

About the Author

Austin S.

Growing up in rural New England on a small scale farm gave me a lifelong passion for animals. I love learning about new wild animal species, habitats, animal evolutions, dogs, cats, and more. I've always been surrounded by pets and believe the best dog and best cat products are important to keeping our animals happy and healthy. It's my mission to help you learn more about wild animals, and how to care for your pets better with carefully reviewed products.
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