Black-tailed Indigo Snake on My Farm in Belize: An Ecologically Important Snake You Want Around

The Black-tailed Indigo Snake is a large, non-venomous snake commonly found on farms in Belize that helps control venomous snakes and rodent populations, making it a valuable species to protect.

Also known as the Black-tailed Cribo Snake (Drymarchon melanurus melanurus) (historically known as Drymarchon corais), it is the most common snake I encounter on my farm in Belize, and it’s one I never get bored with seeing. Locally just called Blacktail.

Unlike many snakes people fear, this large non-venomous snake in Belize plays a major ecological role on farms and homesteads, especially around homes, by actively preying on venomous snakes in Belize like the Bothrops asper (Fer-de-Lance) and rodents around houses and farms. Though I confess, I also enjoy seeing Fer-de-Lances around my farm.

If you live in rural or semi-rural areas in Central America, learning to identify and protect beneficial snakes on farms like the Black-tailed Indigo Snake in Belize can make your property safer, healthier, and more ecologically balanced.

One of the most beneficial snakes to have on your farm

Key Takeaways

• The Black-tailed Indigo Snake in Belize (Drymarchon melanurus melanurus) is a large, non-venomous snake commonly found on farms and rural properties.

• This species is beneficial to have around homes and farms because it actively preys on venomous snakes and rodents.

• Black-tailed Indigo Snakes help reduce dangerous snake encounters near buildings, acting as natural pest control.

• Despite their size, they are generally calm and reluctant to bite when encountered by people.

• Seeing a Blacktail on your property is usually a sign of a healthy, functioning ecosystem.

• Learning to identify and protect beneficial non-venomous snakes improves both human safety and local wildlife conservation.

Black-tail Indigo snakes – famous for eating venomous snakes

How to Identify the Black-tailed Indigo Snake in Belize

Key identification features:

• Large, heavy-bodied non-venomous snake (often over 6–7 feet long)
• Glossy black tail and olive-green body
• Distinct black tail and subtle eyelash-like markings on the head
• Smooth scales with an oily sheen

In Belize, Black-tailed Indigo Snakes are found countrywide in low- to mid-elevation forests, as well as savannahs, farmland, and open agricultural areas. They are ground-dwelling, day-active snakes and, size-wise, are second only to the Boa constrictor in Belize.

Diet of the Black-tailed Indigo Snake on farms:

• Birds
• Young chickens and chicken eggs
• Small mammals and rodents around farm buildings
• Fish, small turtles, frogs, toads, and lizards
• Especially other snakes, including venomous species

Behaviours commonly observed in Black-tailed Indigo Snakes:

• Move confidently and do not coil defensively like vipers
• Not constrictors – they overpower prey using speed and strength

The first Blacktail that I ever caught in 2010

Taxonomy Overview of Indigo Snakes (Drymarchon Species)

Indigo snakes belong to the family Colubridae, the largest family of snakes in the world, and the subfamily Colubrinae.

Recognized species of Indigo Snakes (Drymarchon):
Historically, all indigo snakes were grouped under Drymarchon corais. Modern genetic research now recognises six distinct species of indigo snakes in the Americas:

1. Black-tailed Indigo / Middle American Indigo Snake (Drymarchon melanurus melanurus)
   • Range: Southwestern U.S. (Texas) through Mexico and Central America (including Belize) to northern South America
   • Subspecies:
     • Texas Indigo Snake ( m. erebennus)
     • Orizaba Indigo Snake ( m. orizabensis)
     • Red-necked Indigo Snake ( m. rubidus)
     • Unicolor Cribo Snake ( m. unicolor)

2. Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi)
   • Range: Southeastern United States (Florida, Georgia)
   • Notability: Longest native snake in the U.S., reaching 8–9 feet; federally listed as Threatened
3. Yellow-tailed Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais)
   • Range: South America (east of the Andes), including Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela
4. Falcon Indigo Snake / White-tailed Cribo (Drymarchon caudomaculatus)
   • Range: Falcón State, Venezuela
5. Margarita Indigo Snake (Drymarchon margaritae)
   • Range: Endemic to Margarita Island, Venezuela
6. Gulf Coast Indigo Snake (Drymarchon kolpobasileus)
   • Range: Gulf Coast of Florida
   • Notability: Recently described species (2016)

For more information on Black-tail Indigo snakes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_American_indigo_snake

Why the Black-tailed Indigo Snake Is Good to Have on a Farm

This species is an ecological heavyweight on farms and rural properties.

Benefits of having Black-tailed Indigo Snakes on your farm:

• Actively hunts venomous snakes such as the Fer-de-Lance (locally called Yellow Jaw Tommygoff)
• Controls rodent populations around barns and homes
• Reduces dangerous snake encounters near buildings
• Helps stabilise the local farm ecosystem

This makes them natural pest control for farms and homesteads—no chemicals, no traps.
If there was ever a snake you want around your house and farm, this is the one.

Showing this blacktail to be over 6ft long

Behaviour of Black-tailed Indigo Snakes Around Homes and Farms

Despite their size, Black-tailed Indigo Snakes in Belize are generally calm but fast, alert, and curious.

Typical behaviour near human dwellings:

• Active during the day
• Move through barns, sheds, and field edges
• Rarely aggressive unless cornered
• Often retreat quickly when noticed

They are strong enough to kill venomous snakes through overpowering and jaw pressure and are resistant to some snake venoms, one of the reasons they are such effective predators of dangerous snakes.

Having caught many of these snakes around my farm and house, I can attest that this species is reluctant to bite, and I have never been bitten by a Black-tailed Indigo Snake.

An unusually dark phase of a Black-tailed Indigo snake

What to Do If You See a Black-tailed Indigo Snake on Your Property

Best practice for encountering beneficial snakes on farms:

• Leave it alone
• Give it space
• Do not attempt to handle it
• Let it pass through naturally

If it’s near buildings:

• Clear clutter and rodent attractants
• Secure poultry feed
• Keep brush piles away from structures

The snake is likely there because your farm supports healthy prey populations, which is a sign of a functioning and balanced ecosystem.

Black-tailed Indigo snakes have amazing facial patterns

Here’s a quick comparison of the Black-tailed Indigo Snake and other snakes commonly seen on Belize farms 🐍 — highlighting size, behaviour, diet, and benefits for your property.

A huge Blacktail caught in 2024

Black-tailed Indigo Snake FAQ

FAQ: Is the Black-tailed Indigo Snake dangerous to humans?
No. It is non-venomous and rarely bites unless handled or trapped.

FAQ: Why are indigo snakes found near houses?
They follow prey like rodents and other snakes, which are attracted to barns, feed storage, and shelter.

FAQ: Should I remove indigo snakes from my property?
No. They provide free pest and venomous snake control.

When handling a snake, it’s important to give full body support

Final Thoughts on the Black-tailed Indigo Snake in Belize

Seeing a Black-tailed Indigo Snake on your farm isn’t a threat—it’s a free, living security system against venomous snakes and rodents. Learning to recognise and respect beneficial non-venomous snakes is one of the simplest ways to live more safely alongside wildlife on farms and rural properties.

I always love finding these snakes around my farm

Curious about more of Belize’s fascinating wildlife? From snakes like the Black-tailed Indigo to frogs, lizards, and even spiders, I’ve put together a complete guide to Belize jungle reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids — check out the full post to explore them all!

• Reptiles, Amphibians, and Arachnids of Belize: A First-Hand Jungle Wildlife Guide

Arie Hoogerbrugge is an adventure seeker who spent 2 years biking 26,000 km across Canada to his home in Belize from 2019 to 2021. Since 2021, he has been living at his home in the jungles of Belize, working hard and writing blogs.