How to differentiate between Russell's Viper and Rock Python

Day by day Russell”s Viper(Daboia russelli) is becoming the most medically important snake for Eastern India. So it is very essential to identify this snake properly and do not confuse it with other similar snake like Indian Rock Python(Python molurus), which is a non-venomous snake.

To understand why it is becoming so important, we need to understand how we fight snakebite in our country. The only treatment is Polyvalent Antivenom Serum (ASV), which is administered to the victim in case of venomous snakebite. This ASV is made from the venom of Cobra(Naja naja), Russell’s viper, Common Krait(Bungarus caeruleus) and Saw scaled viper(Echis carinatus). Most of the ASV production centers are situated in South India and all the snakes they use for ASV venom collection are collected from South India. Now-a-days this ASV is proving to be less effective in combating Russell’s Viper bite in Eastern India. The geographical variation has changed the chemical composition of Russell’s Viper’s venom from South India to North India. The studies of snakebite and its treatment clearly indicates this. In Eastern India it is becoming harder and harder to treat a Russell’s Viper bite victim. So doctors and experts are requesting to setup a venom collection center in Eastern India so we can eliminate geographical variation but till now Govt has not reacted positively.

Anyway, the best way is not to get bitten in the first place. For that you need to identify it properly. People often confuse Russell’s viper with Rock python as both have stocky muscular body and generally brown coloration with dark spots. But following these simple points you can be sure which one is which. But venomous or non-venomous, you should not try to handle any of these snakes. It is always better to give them their space and let them escape. Or call the local forest dept.

Russell’s viper generally grows to about 1m in length, whereas the Rock python in average grows to about 3m in length. So if you guess the length to be around 2m or more, you can be sure it to be a Rock python. But do not totally depend on this as snakes when coiled can look much longer or shorter than they actually are.

From a distance we can see the body pattern. Russell’s Viper has well defined round or oval shaped patterns along its back which are a bit pointed at two ends. They also have half or full oval blotches along their side. Now depending on the location of the specimen, these blotches can be dark edged with light center (North India) or solid dark (South India). The patterns on Rock python are asymmetrical and in general quadrate in shape. They are mostly solid dark sometimes with light center.

Inspection of the head and neck revels many more differences. In Russell’s viper the head is triangular in shape. The head of Rock python is elongated. Typical of all the vipers, Russell’s viper’s neck is also very distinct from its body where as Rock python’s neck is not so distinct. Russell’s viper’s head is covered with many small keeled scales. Rock python’s head is covered with few big smooth scales. Python also has 3 slits on its upper lips frontal side on both side which are its temperature sensory organ. This feature is not so easily visible. Russell’s viper does not have this. Both the snake have vertical pupil.

One other small snake is often mistaken for being Russell’s viper which is the Common Sand Boa(Gongylophis conicus). This snake is also called Russell’s boa. Sand boa has many physical similarities with Russell’s viper except its name. They both have a thick stout body. They both have a overall brown coloration with dark blotches. Both Russell’s viper and Russell’s boa have their head covered with many small keeled scales. Both these snakes have vertical pupil. But they have their differences too. Sand boa’s body tapers to both end very rapidly so its tail is almost conical in shape. Sand boa’s neck is so thick that it merges with body. Also the blotches on Sand Boa’s body is very asymmetrical and does not conform to any shape. Sand boa generally grows to about 0.5m-0.6m in length and rarely grows to about 1m.

One distinct feature which separate Russell’s viper from Sand Boa, Rock python or any other snake is its loud Hiss. It is so loud that almost compares to the sound of a ‘Pressure Cooker’. Once heard you will never forget it.


To learn more about them, follow these links.

Indian Rock Python

Common Sand Boa

Russell's Viper


To learn about the difference between Common Krait and Common Wolf Snake.

To learn about the difference between Indian Rat Snake and Cobra.


**images have been mostly collected from internet for the sole purpose of awareness and education. copyright of every image stays with their rightful owner. **

Ignorant Killing (Common Sand Boa)

Do I always have to find a new snake as dead?? I am sick of it. The number of roadkill snakes is really increasing in numbers

I first saw a Sand Boa in my childhood in a snake exhibition. And I was fascinated by it. Its stout body and asymmetrical patterns on back was really beautiful. But then for long I have not seen one.When I started studying about snakes, again it captured my interest. I found that it is one of the best snakes to learn handling snakes. most of the Sand Boas are timid in nature. but a few are aggressive. So I started searching the inventory of the snake charmers to get a Sand Boa but with no luck. Once I found a Red Sand Boa, which was also a good snake to learn handling, have bargained for it but the charmer was unwilling to sell the snake.

Now a few days back, in the morning when I was going for work, I found a small dead snake inside the factory premises.And it turned out to be a Sand Boa, the snake I was looking for years. Most probably it was killed by the security when it came out at night for hunting. It was sad. Being a non-venomous snake, it did not pose a threat to the well being of any person working inside the premise. Though it had to die. Only because it is a snake. Lack of knowledge or should I say wealth of mis-conception is so prevalent among the people that most of them dont even hesitate once to kill a snake at the first sight. They don't seem to understand that snakes are an important player of our eco-system. Without it the eco-system will collapse.

So on that morning, I felt responsible. I went to the General Manager of our Human Resource Dept.and talked with him on this matter. he seemed to understand.I have given him my no to call me on any animal-human conflict inside factory. I am still waiting for the phone call. But for the time being there are no dead snakes in the factory anymore.

But then today afternoon when I was walking on the streets in our residential area, I found another dead Sand Boa. It was a road kill.The condition of it was telling that it wasm killed last night. Another interesting thing is that both the Sand Boas are approximately of same size of about 8"-10". That means they are juveniles. This Shows that this area supports a healthy population of Sand Boa. I think I should look for live ones personally.

Natural History

Common Sand Boa (Gongylophis conicus) is a member of the family Boa-constrictor. They are stout bodied muscular snakes. Being heavy bodied Common Sand Boa is a slow moving snake. It is a nocturnal snake. So it hunts at night. It catches prey by ambush. It waits for the prey and constricts the prey to death by making coil around the prey. It is a non-venomous snake. Common Sand Boa generally hunts lizards, frogs, calotes, skinks,small birds and small mammals. It is found all over India except the north east region. Common Sand Boa prefers dry habitats like arid scrub lands, coastal and sandy areas. it lives in burrows and crevices. Average length of Common Sand Boa is about 1'8" but it can reach a length of 3'3". It is a ovo-viviparous snake. That means it gives birth to live young snakes and does not lay eggs. Delivery of young snakes happens generally in July August.