The horned viper is a poisonous snake that is active at dusk and during the night. When it buries itself in the sand, the sandy colour of its body provides the perfect camouflage and, in many cases, its presence is only betrayed by the small horns above the eyes which give the snake its name, each of which is made up of a scale.

The horned viper is one of the few snakes that emit a rattling sound when threatened. It achieves this off-putting noise by rubbing together specially serrated scales that are arranged in inclined rows on its sides. This rattling is a substitute for hissing through the nose, which the viper is unable to do.

The horned viper injects its venom into its prey through hollow teeth. The venom causes problems with blood clotting, in particular. In rare cases, a viper bite can prove fatal for humans.