Red-bellied racer
Dolichophis schmidti
A fast, non-venomous racer of dry eastern Georgia. The belly is red or orange; it is not a viper.
At a glance
Key facts in one look
Habitat
Dry rocky / east Georgia
Length
GE 82–158 cm
Venom
None — harmless
Conservation
Least Concern (LC)
Elevation
species ~0–2,000 m
Family
Colubridae
A candidate species on the 2026 checklist — do not mark it as confirmed.
Human interaction: It has no venom and is medically harmless to people. Do not pick it up: a large snake can bite, and the bite hurts. If the pupil is a vertical slit, this is not the species — keep your distance and give it room. Photograph from afar and leave it where it is.
Overview
What is Red-bellied racer
The red-bellied racer (Dolichophis schmidti) is a fast, non-venomous snake of dry rocky and grassy habitats in eastern Georgia. It belongs to the family Colubridae. The 2026 Georgian checklist accepts the name but treats it as a candidate: it was formerly a subspecies of Coluber jugularis, and population-level work is still needed in the contact zone with the Caspian whip snake (Dolichophis caspius). The named barcode specimen is from Tbilisi. The 2021 Georgian snake survey places it among large snakes that depend on a reasonably dry climate — rocky or grassland settings, mostly in the east. Do not expect it throughout the country. It is classed among Georgia’s large snakes (maximum length over 120 cm in the literature). One Georgian winter aggregation measured 82–158 cm. It is harmless to people. IUCN assessed it as Least Concern in 2017.
Last updated
Gallery
Red-bellied racer in photos
Photo: Ioane Rostiashvili
Photo: Ioane Rostiashvili
Photo: Ioane Rostiashvili
Kareli ·
Photo: Ioane Rostiashvili
Kareli ·
Photo: George Bananashvili
Lisi Lake ·
Photo: George Bananashvili
Lisi Lake ·
Photo: Andro Solomashvili
Photo: Shota Zandukeli
Identification
How to identify Red-bellied racer
A fast, non-venomous racer with a round pupil. The key field mark is a red or orange belly — not a viper and not Levantine viper.
The body is slender and fast, with a racer’s build; the head is distinct from the neck. The eye is relatively large and the pupil is round. Dorsal scales are smooth at species level. The 2021 Georgian review classes it among large snakes (maximum over 120 cm). One Georgian winter aggregation measured 82–158 cm — mixed ages. Do not handle the snake to count scales.
Adults often have a fairly uniform copper, reddish, or reddish-brown back. Juveniles have a dark-spotted dorsal pattern — an age difference, not a different species. The belly is red or orange; that is the main field mark and the basis of the Georgian name.
Dahl’s whip snake (Platyceps najadum) is slimmer, with dark, pale-edged neck blotches rather than a plain reddish back. The spotted whip snake (Hemorrhois ravergieri) has rhomboid blotches along the whole back. The Urartian ratsnake (Elaphe urartica) is thicker, with a dark head and larger rounded blotches. The eastern Montpellier snake (Malpolon insignitus) has a raised “eyebrow” and is often olive or grey — not a red belly. The Caspian whip snake (Dolichophis caspius) has no separate public profile in this atlas; it is a candidate in the 2026 checklist and differs in belly colour.
A viper has a vertical slit pupil, a more triangular head, and strongly keeled scales; it is venomous. Levantine viper (Macrovipera lebetina) is heavier, with a broad head and a vertical pupil — medically significant. If you see a fast snake with a vertical pupil, it is a viper or Levantine viper, not this species. It has no venom. A bite can still hurt. Do not pick it up.
The 2026 Georgian checklist accepts the name but treats it as a candidate: it was formerly a subspecies of Coluber jugularis, and population-level work is still needed in the contact zone with the Caspian whip snake (Dolichophis caspius). The named barcode specimen is from Tbilisi. Do not expect it throughout the country.
Malpolon insignitus
Eastern Montpellier Snake
South-eastern Georgia
Platyceps najadum
Dahl's whip snake
Eastern and southern Georgia
Hemorrhois ravergieri
Spotted Whip Snake
Samtskhe — Javakheti
Elaphe urartica
Urartian ratsnake
Eastern Georgia
Macrovipera lebetinus
Levantine viper
Eastern Georgia
Elaphe dione
Steppe ratsnake
Dry eastern Georgia
Quiz
Next: which snake is it?
Red-bellied racer is in the Georgia snake quiz. Ten field photos, four names — eye practice, not field ID.
Biology
Habitat, diet, behavior, and conservation
Habitat and range
In Georgia look in dry rocky or grassy country of the east — steppe, rocky slopes, stony riverbanks, farmland, gardens, and vineyards. The 2021 survey groups it with species that depend on a reasonably dry climate and occur mostly in the east — not in humid Colchis. The named modern genetic locality is Tbilisi (CaBOL-ID 1027412); the checklist head photographs are also from Tbilisi. This atlas map shows regional records and does not mean the species is evenly present in every marked region. Do not look for it in western Georgia or in humid high mountains. Species-level literature often cites elevations to about 2,000 m; a separate Georgian elevation band is not published here. The wider range runs from the Caucasus through Anatolia to northern Iran and Turkmenistan. The lectotype locality is the Mugan steppe (Azerbaijan), not Georgia. A 2015 paper reported D. caspius phenotypes inside a well-known D. schmidti region; the 2026 checklist asks for confirmation — the nearest indigenous D. caspius are several hundred kilometres away.
Diet
There is no separate Georgian diet study for this species. The 2021 Georgian review groups it with snakes that mainly take small mammals, reptiles, or birds. Elsewhere in the range it eats lizards, rodents, birds, and other snakes. It has no venom — it hunts by speed. The menu in Georgia has not been measured directly.
Behavior
Like most of Georgia’s snakes it is diurnal; the 2021 review does not list it among nocturnal species. Hourly activity in Georgia has not been described separately; expect the warm season in dry rocky places. When threatened it usually flees; if cornered it may defend itself. Do not pick it up — it has no venom, but a large snake can bite painfully. It lays eggs. Species-level literature often cites about 5–11 eggs; clutch size in Georgia is not published here. In 2026 a large winter aggregation was found in Georgia in a reinforced septic tank: 133 individuals of mixed ages, together with one Dahl’s whip snake (Platyceps najadum) and one dice snake (Natrix tessellata). That is the largest documented aggregation of the species and the first interspecific snake hibernaculum recorded in the Caucasus — not evidence that it always winters this way. Measured length was 82–158 cm and mass 82–753 g; the sex ratio was nearly even, with a slight female bias. The snakes were in the terminal chamber at about 11 °C; they were moved because of construction and released in spring.
Conservation
The 2017 IUCN Red List assessment lists it as Least Concern — the global range is wide. It is not on Georgia’s 2014 Red List. In the 2026 checklist it is a candidate; distribution confidence is medium. Local threats include habitat conversion, road mortality, and killing after confusion with venomous snakes. The 2026 hibernaculum shows that buildings can be critical winter sites — and that construction can destroy them. Do not pick it up or kill it.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Red-bellied racer.
Yes. The 2026 checklist accepts the species but treats it as a candidate. The named modern genetic locality is Tbilisi. It does not occur throughout the country.
Mainly in dry, rocky or grassy habitats of the east — steppe, rocky slopes, vineyards, and near settlements. The named modern locality is Tbilisi. Do not look in the humid west or Colchic forest. Mapped regions do not mean even occurrence.
No. It has no venom and is not a medical threat. It usually flees. A large snake can bite — do not pick it up. A vertical pupil points to a viper or Levantine viper.
A slender, fast body, round pupil, smooth scales, and a red or orange belly. Adults are often plain reddish; juveniles are spotted. Dahl’s whip snake has neck ocelli. Levantine viper and other vipers have a vertical pupil.
It is one of Georgia’s large snakes: literature maxima exceed 120 cm. One Georgian winter aggregation (mixed ages) measured 82–158 cm and 82–753 g. That is one shelter sample, not a national average.
Diet has not been studied separately in Georgia. The 2021 review groups it with snakes that mainly take small mammals, reptiles, or birds. It has no venom — it hunts by speed.
It lays eggs. Species-level literature often cites about 5–11 eggs; clutch size in Georgia is not published here. It is diurnal in the warm season. In Georgia a large communal wintering in a building has been documented.
Watch from a distance, take a photo, and leave it. Do not pick it up. If the pupil is vertical or the head is broad and triangular, it may be a viper or Levantine viper — give it room.
References
Sources
References
Sources
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021 — Distribution of snakes in Georgia
- Iankoshvili et al. 2026 — communal hibernaculum of Dolichophis schmidti in Georgia
- Nagy et al. 2004 — Molecular systematics of racers, whipsnakes and relatives
- Tok et al. 2017 — IUCN Red List account for Dolichophis schmidti
- საქართველოს მთავრობის დადგენილება №190 (2014) — წითელი ნუსხა
- Muskhelishvili 1970 — Presmykajushchiesya vostochnoi Gruzii
- Bannikov et al. 1977 — cited for size class in Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021
- The Reptile Database
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
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