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. **

How to differentiate between Rat snake vs Indian Cobra

A few days back while on duty I was chatting with a senior colleague and found out about his interest in snakes. So I showed him my blog. As he was browsing through my posts, he told me a story of how he once escaped a cobra bite just by chance. Then he asked me about how a common man can differentiate between a Cobra (Naja naja, Naja kaouthia) and a Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa).

That question hit my head too. As I searched the internet for some ready article to differentiate between them, I could not find any. So I tried to compile points I found in various places into a single article so that anyone can refer to it and stay safe.

A word of CAUTION. Even if you know the snake infront of you is a non-venomous rat snake, not a venomous cobra, DO NOT TRY TO HANDLE IT! That is harmful for both the snake and yourself. Give it some space to escape and it will escape eventually.

If I explain from the easiest sign to hardest, the first and most intimidating sign would be the hood. Cobras (when I mention cobra, I am referring to both Monocled Cobra and Spectacled Cobra) raise hood when threatened. Monocled cobra has a ‘eye’ like design on the back of its hood whereas Spectacled Cobra has a ‘U’ shaped marking or it may have no marking on the back of its hood. To display its hood, a cobra raises its forebody from the ground and flares its neck. Now the Rat Snake also mimics this behavior just to pretend to be a cobra. The rat snake also lifts its forebody and tries to flare it neck. But its neck does not create a hood.

But what if a cobra does not raise a hood? May be it didn’t see you or may be it didn’t see you as a threat, then how can you tell. In that case we have to see the head carefully. On the Rat Snake, along its lips below the eye, there are prominent black vertical stripes. The cobra lacks this vertical black stripes.

Do not try to differentiate them by the color of their body. Both the Rat Snake and Cobras vary highly in body coloration. Their color can be from very light to very dark. Monocled Cobra juveniles have mostly dark colors with light banding across the body. The color fades to olive as they mature, the banding fades too. You can usually find black makings on the rear portion of an adult Rat Snake. Also, rat snake has black markings on it belly side.

But if they vary so much, how the experts tell them apart? They count the scales on their body, on their head and on their tail. That is the only sure way to tell two species of snake apart. But that process is not for the common man as that requires you to handle the snake. But if you are still interested to know about the scalation, follow these links to find out more.

Indian Rat Snake

Monocled Cobra

Spectacled Cobra

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

To learn about the difference between Russell's Viper and Sand Boa.

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

New Year Gift ( Yellow Speckled Wolf Snake)

This day I got a call from a friend asking me if I would collect a snake they have captured or would they kill it. And I certainly told him to keep the snake for me. Then I asked him about the description of the snake and came to know that it is a green snake with spots on it. I was not sure which snake it was from the description but as it is not similar to any venomous snakes found here locally, I told him, “it is probably a non-venomous snake but still don’t touch it.”

This conversation happened in the morning and I was told to pick up the snake in the evening. The whole day I was thinking about the snake but could not decide what it could be and in the evening when I received the snake, reality exceeded all my expectations! It was a small snake, approximately 12”-14” long with brownish green back and white belly. Moreover it had two yellow spots on each scale. And I shouted in joy, “it’s a yellow-speckled wolf snake!!!!” whenever I saw its photo in books and various online groups, I wished to see one in real life but its distribution is so limited that I never thought I would see one ever, that too in my hometown. It was 2nd January and all I could think was that this was the best new year gift ever.

Yellow Speckled Wolf Snake ( Lycodon jara ) is a non-venomous snake found from West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh and Ganjam district of Orissa in India and also from Nepal and Bangladesh. The maximum length recorded is 22”. It’s a smooth scaled, slender bodied snake. The head is slightly broader than the neck like all other wolf snakes. The upper side varies from glossy brown to purplish black. Belly side is white in color. Almost all the scales on its back have two yellow spots on them and thus the name. Sometime the spots are white in color. Very little is known about this snake. Only that it is a nocturnal snake and it eats geckos.
From my personal observation I found that this snake prefers corners and crevices than open place. Though it is a nocturnal snake, given a choice to stay between a dark open place and a bright corner, it feels more secure in the corner. It also hides its head slightly under its body coil like a few other wolf snakes. “And unlike the Common Wolf Snake, not tempermental and usually does not bite when handled.” Though the previous line was written for a few other wolf snakes like Barred Wolf Snake in the book ‘Snakes of India, The Field Guide’, I found it perfectly suitable for this one too.

When I released it in my own front yard, it was very quick to vanish from my eye and I am sure not to see it again ever though it is just in front of my house. Snakes have evolved to stay hidden so good that we often don’t realize how many snakes are there around us. That is infact in the benefit of both of us. Otherwise we would have killed all the snakes if we had the chance, or atleast that is the mentality of many of us. But it is good to know that people are changing. Thank you Utpal Das for this wonderful new year gift.

Snake Behavior

When we think of snakes, what picture come in mind first? Don’t we think of a creepy creature which is fierce and aggressive and ready to strike a man at the first sight of it? But is it true??

For some moment lets leave snakes aside and stand on a persons foot. What will happen? Depending on who he is, the reaction will be different. If he is a mafia, he will blow your head off. If he is a local strongman, he will punch in your face. If he is a illiterate young villager, he will push you aside and flood your ears with slangs. If he is a aged person, he will ask you to stand aside or if he is a very shy person, he won’t even say anything. So, you see how such a simple act brings out so diverse reactions! Now, try to grab somebody by his neck.

The same is true for snakes also. Every species of snakes have different personality, some are aggressive, some are mild tempered and some are timid. If I talk about the local snakes that I have observed personally, the matter could be clearer.

First start with the brand icon of Indian snakes, Indian Cobra or Gokhro (Naja naja). Once with the help of a friend I have got a juvenile Indian Cobra. It was packed in a plastic jar and it was aggressive. When ever I took my fingers near the jar, it didn’t delay to strike. But when I released it into a grassland, it didn’t waste a second striking me and tried to escape.

In contrast, some of the most aggressive snakes that I have seen are actually non-venomous. Take the case of Common Rat Snake or Dhamon (Ptyas mucosa). It is one of the largest snakes that frequently enter our houses in search of rats. Generally it does not pose a threat but when you grab it or step on it, if you are not prepared, it can inflict very bad wound as it tries to strike repeatedly.

Another very aggressive snake is Checkered Keelback or Jaldhora (Xenochorphis piscator). This non-venomous snake is found in ponds. You bath or swim in water, it will swim past you and wont even bother about you but try to harass it by grabbing or stepping on it it will bite and hold on readily.

Where as another keelback, the Olive Keelback (Atretium schistosum), shows remarkably different behavior. Even if you grab it tightly or pick it up by hand, it won’t try to bite, only it will try to escape. It won’t even open its mouth for once.

A land snake, Buff-stripped Keelback or Hele (Amphiesma stolatum), shows behavior some-where in between. If you pick it up, it will surely bite but if you handle it gently with real care, it won’t feel stressed and wont bite.

The same is true for another land snake, Wolf Snake or Chitisap (Lycodon aulicus). It is also common house snake and a very good climber, often found high on walls. With gentle handling, it is possible to pick them up without getting bitten. But they are really sensitive to smell. One captive wolf snake that I had once reacted really aggressively when exposed to the smell of shoe polish. I had not done this with other snakes but it could be true for them also.

Two tree snakes show two different behaviors. The Green Vine Snake or Laudoga (Ahaetulla nasuta) is very fast in striking. Being a tree snake it can lift its body remarkably and bite on the hand that is holding it. It may even bite on the nose or eyes. And when it bites, it holds on to it for a long time. But all these happen only if you are stopping it from escaping by holding it. Otherwise it will escape at your first sign.

The other one, common Bronzeback or Bet-achra (Dendrelaphis tristis), is different. It is reluctant in biting and bites only if you really provoke it. It too holds on to after biting. But if it gets a chance to escape, it will escape in blazing speed.

A venomous snake, Russell’s Viper or Chandrobora (Daboia russelii), shows a behavior altogether different. When I released a captured Russell’s Viper, it did not flee. It stands its ground and hissed loudly. It was so loud that if you hear it once, you wont forget it. And NEVER PICK UP A VIPER WITH HAND. Even if you survive after medication, it will leave a permanent damage on your body. But if you leave it alone, given enough time, it will go away.

So, what we see common in all these snakes is that they wants to escape at the first sign of danger that means us, except the viper. Vipers do not escape because they are not fast enough to evade danger by escaping. So, they stay there and confront danger face-to-face and. That is the moral of the story. Snakes show different behavior depending on the species but no one wants to bite us unless we are pushing it to do it. So if we leave them alone, they will leave us alone. And all will live happily ever after. Isn’t it true for human also??