Records of this species are from Silent Valley, western Nilgiris, Wayanad, Coorg, Malnad region of Karnataka, Castle Rock, Goa and northwards into Maharashtra in the Amboli hills and Kolhapur area.

[8] It inhabits riparian forests and is very partial to hill streams and torrents, situated within dense wet rainforests, sometimes also evergreen and deciduous forests, where it may be found on the ground, on rocks present in stream beds, on low vegetation, or in shrubs.

[6][verification needed] The Malabar pit viper is nocturnal and usually inactive in the day, sometimes seen basking on rocks or trees near streams.

The species preys upon frogs, lizards, nestling birds, musk shrews, mice and other small animals.

[6][verification needed] C. malabaricus is slow-moving, but capable of fast strikes.