The species is included in the Boidae family of snakes, subfamily Boinae, no subspecies are currently recognized by ITIS. It is also described as a species in the genus Acrantophis.
Adult females can be up to 10 feet (3.05 metres), males are typically smaller, the average size of the population is 8 feet (2.44 m) in length. This is the largest snake species found on the island of Madagascar. Boa madagascariensis, like others in the family, dispatch their prey by constriction.
The color pattern consists of a pale reddish-brown ground color mixed with gray, overlaid with a pattern dorsal rhombs outlined with black or brown. Sometimes this creates a vague zigzag impression. The sides are patterned a series of black ovoid markings with reddish blotches, often bordered or centered with white.
