Rough-Scaled Sand Boa
Eryx conicus
A stout, blunt-tailed burrowing boa from South Asia with a bold, blotched pattern often mistaken for a viper.
- Venomous?
- Non-venomous
- Adult length
- 0.5-0.9 m (1.6-3 ft)
- Range
- Indian subcontinent
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Overview
The Rough-Scaled Sand Boa is a small, heavy-bodied member of the sand boa group native to India and neighboring countries. It is one of the more commonly encountered fossorial snakes across dry and semi-arid parts of the subcontinent.
Its thick body, short tail, and irregular blotched pattern give it a superficial resemblance to venomous vipers, which has led to frequent misidentification. It is a non-venomous constrictor and poses no medically significant threat to humans.
How to identify it
- Stout, cylindrical body with a short, blunt tail that can be mistaken for the head
- Rough, strongly keeled dorsal scales giving a gritty texture
- Reddish-brown to grayish base color with dark, irregular saddle-shaped blotches
- Small head barely distinct from the neck, with small eyes and vertically elliptical pupils
- Adults typically reach 50-90 cm
Habitat & range
Found in sandy and rocky semi-arid habitats, scrublands, agricultural edges, and open plains across peninsular India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It spends most of its time burrowed in loose soil or sand, emerging mainly at night.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Nocturnal and secretive, this species is a slow-moving ambush predator that seizes rodents, lizards, and other small vertebrates near burrow entrances before constricting them. It is generally docile and relies on burrowing and its viper-like appearance for defense. It is live-bearing (ovoviviparous), producing litters of roughly 5-15 young.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Rough-Scaled Sand Boa venomous?
No, it is a non-venomous constrictor despite its viper-like blotched pattern.
How big does the Rough-Scaled Sand Boa get?
Adults typically measure 50-90 cm (about 1.6-3 ft) in length.
Where is the Rough-Scaled Sand Boa found?
It occurs across the Indian subcontinent in sandy and semi-arid habitats.
Why is it often confused with a viper?
Its stout body, rough scales, and blotched coloration mimic viper patterning, though the two are unrelated.
Rough-Scaled Sand Boa guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Rough-Scaled Sand Boa.
