The snake's head is oblong, distinct from its neck, and its pupils are round. The rust chain belly snake has a long cylindrical body and a slender tail. The total length of the rust-chain snake is between 600 and 716 mm.

8 scales on the upper lip of the rust chain snake, cheeks 1 scale, 1 or 2 preorbital scales, 3 or 2 retroorbital scales. The back of the rust-chain snake is dark brown or brown, the back of the head is dark brown, and there is an oval flesh-colored pillow spot on each side of the occiput. There are two red rust-colored longitudinal stripes on the back of the rust-chain snake body, with small light-colored spots on the stripes. The ventral surface of the rust chain belly chain snake is light yellow, and each ventral scale and the lower tail scale have a black narrow stripe on each side, and the front and rear are intermittently connected to form a chain-like longitudinal pattern.