30 Species Of Indian Non poisonous Snakes

Of the over 2000 species of snakes in the world, about 200 are found in India.These range from the worm snakes having a length of about 10 cms. to those more than 6 mts. long. They live in almost all habitats from the warm seas to semi-deserts, swamps, lakes and even in the Himalayan glaciers up to an elevation of about 5000 mts. Thirty main species of Indian snakes have been discribed here:-

Common Worm Snake

( Typhlina bramina): A small worm-like snake found all over India. In the hills, it lives up to an elevation of 1000 mts.

Perrotet's Shield-tail Snake

(Plectrurus perroteti): A small snake found in the hills along the west coast of India, i.e., The Western Ghats, Nilgiri and Annamalai hills.

Indian Rock Python

Python molurus): A large thick-bodied snake found in many parts of India. It ranges from the mangrove forest to arid scrublands and dense rain forest of the eastern Himalayas up to an elevation of about 2000 mts.

Common Sand Boa

(Eryx conicus): A short thick-bodied snake found in the plains and low hills of India. They are nocturnal and hunt after dark.

Red Sand Boa

(Eryx johnii): A medium-sized snake with a very blunt tail. It is found in the drier tracts of the country.

Common Wolf Snake

(Lycodon aulicus): A small slender snake found throughout India. In the hills, it occurs at an elevation of about 2000 mts.

Banded Kukri

(Oligodon arnesis): A small snake with prominent cross bands on its body. Found all over India and up to an elevation of 200 mts. in the eastern Himalayan

Stripped Keelback

(Amaphiesma stalata): A small to medium-sized snake that is closely related to and resembles the water snake. Found all over India and up to an elevation of 2000 mts. in the hill.

Green Keelback

(Macropisthodon plumbicolor): A medium-sized keelscaled snake found in the forested region of India up to an elevation of 1500 mts.

Checkered Keelback Watersnake

(Xenochropis piscator): A medium-sized keeled snake found all over India up to an elevation of about 3000 mts.

Olive Keelback Watersnake

(Altritium schistosum): A small to medium-sized snake found in central and peninsular India up to an elevation about 1000 mts.

Trinket Snake


(Elaphe halena): A medium-sized, slender snake found all over India up to an elevation of about 4000 mts. in the Himalayas.

Rat Snake

(Ptyas muscosus): A large-scaled snake found all over India up to an elevation of about 4000 mts. It is capable of adapting to almost any environment. They are prodigal rat-eaters.

Banded Racer

(Argyrogena fasicolatus): A small to medium-sized snake found in the plains of India. It prefers to live amongst tall grass and bushes.

Royal Snake

(Spalerosophis diadema): A medium to large-sized snake found in the drier tracts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu hills and Himachal Pradesh up to an elevation of 2000 mts.

Bronze-back Tree Snake

(Dendrelaphis tristis): A medium-sized slender snake found all over India up to anelevation of 2000 mts. in the Himalayas. They prefer low bushes and thorny trees.

Flying Snake

(Chrysopelea ornata): A small to medium-sized snake found in the forest of southwest India and northeastern parts of the country north of Bihar and Orissa. They prefer to live on large trees and appear to glide for some distance.

Vine Snake

(Ahaetulla nasutus): A medium to large-sized snake found all over India, except in the northwest and parts of the Ganga plain. They may occur at elevation of about 2500 mts. preferring low bushes and trees.

Common Cat Snake

(Boiga trigonata): A small to medium-sized snake found all over India up to an elevation of 3000 mts. in the Himalayas. They are nocturnal in habit and prefer to spend the daylight hours in a cool place.

Dog-faced Watersnake

(Cerberus rhynchops): A medium-sized snake found in the coastal tracts. They live in muddy and rocky areas in estuaries, mangrove swamps, salt pans and deserted creeks.

Glossy Marsh Snake (Gerarda prevostiana).

Non venomous snake , found in costal areas of India.

Pied-belly Shield-tail Snake (Melanophidium punctatum)

Pied-belly Shieldtail/ Melanophidium punctatum / Beddome's Black Earth Snake is a species of shieldtail snake(Family- Uropeltidae) found in the Western Ghats of India.
Chorla ghat, Goa/Karnataka, Western ghat, India

Slender Coral Snake

(Callophis melanurus): A small slender snake found in most parts of the country except parts of central and northeast India, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradseh up to an Elevation of 1500 mts.

Some Other Common Snakes Of India

1. Slender Worm Snake (Typhilina porrectus) 2. Pied-belly Shield-tail Snake (Melanophidium punctatum) 3. Nilgiri Shield-tail Snake(Uropeltis ocellatus) 4.Regal Python (Python reticulatus) 5. Khasi Earth Snake (Stoliczkaia khasiensis) 6. Olive Forest Snake (Rhabdops olivaceus) 7. Glossy Marsh Snake (Gerarda prevostiana).