Common Slug Eater  – Duberria lutrix

Size:
Averaging around 20-30cm but may reach just over 45cm.

Colour:
Varying forms, usually darker uppers with lighter belly and sides. From uniform greyish, brownish as well as a high contrasting chocolate brown and rusty red. Some specimens may also have a thin black dotted line down the spine.

Habitat:
Found in a wide array of habitats, from coastal fynbos, costal forest, grassland, montane grassland and common in suburban gardens.

Field Notes:
This small harmless snakes feeds exclusively on slugs and snails. Averaging only around 30 cm this inoffensive snake rarely bites instead when harassed or handled will emit a foul-smelling musk in self-defense and may roll up in a tight coil hiding its head in the centre of the body. Favouring damp localities these snakes are common throughout most of the Western and Eastern Cape where they are most common more so than the rest of South Africa.

These small snakes are often predated upon by birds such as the Fiscal Shrike and many smaller species as well as snakes such as the Spotted Harlequin snake.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Cato Ridge, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Cato Ridge, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater in defensive spiral. From Noordhoek, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater in defensive spiral. From Noordhoek, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Tokai, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Tokai, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Camps Bay, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Camps Bay, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Tokai, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Tokai, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Hammersdale, KwaZulu-Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Hammersdale, KwaZulu-Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Glengarry, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Glengarry, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Godwana Game Reserve, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Godwana Game Reserve, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Midmar Dam Nature Reserve, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Bulembu Mountains, Mpumalanga

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Port Elizabeth.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Port Elizabeth.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Howick, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Howick, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Port Elizabeth.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Port Elizabeth.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. In classic defensive roll. From Nottingham Road, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Gonubie, Eastern Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Nottingham Road, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Grahamstown, Eastern Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Fort Nottingham, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Fort Nottingham, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Pinnacle Point, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Pinnacle Point, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Hillcrest, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater.From George,Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Saasveld, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Saasveld, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Swartberg, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Swartberg, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Port Elizabeth.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater.From Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Karkloof, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Karkloof, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Impendle, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Rondebosch Common, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Tokai, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Bulwer, KwaZulu Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Salt River, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Salt River, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Salt River, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Salt River, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Rondebosch Common, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Rondebosch Common, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Highmoor, KwaZulu-Natal.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Swartberg, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Dullstroom, Mpumalanga.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Dullstroom, Mpumalanga.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From George, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From George, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Harold Porter Nature Reserve, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Camps Bay, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Durbanville, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Durbanville, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Cape Town, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  False Bay Nature Reserve, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Caledon, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From  Cape Town, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Hermanus, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Hermanus, Western Cape.

Duberria lutrix

Common Slug Eater. From Nature’s Valley, Western Cape.