Binghamton Zoo Animals

Boa Constrictor

(Constrictor constrictor)
Order: Squamata
Family: Boidae
Genus: Constrictor
Species: Constrictor constrictor

HABITAT AND RANGE: The Boa Constrictor is usually encountered in forests and along streams in the tropics. It has a wide tolerance of different climatic conditions and is found in all types of country from arid, near-deserts to humid tropical forests. They are native to South America, from Mexico to Argentina.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: It is a large, constricting snake that is closely related to the python; there is no easy way to tell them apart at first glance. There are differences in their tooth and skull characteristics. Also, pythons lay eggs. The Boa Constrictor is the most commonly seen South American boa. It is pale sandy-brown color, which may have a pink cast. It is marked with a complicated pattern of dark brown diamonds, inset with a white and creamy beige background. It is equipped with wide mobile jaws that aid in the swallowing of large animals. The teeth are small, but sharp and hooked. The eyes are well-developed. As one of the most primitive of the snakes, it has remnants of a hip girdle and hind limbs, which can be observed as little spurs. The male’s spurs are larger than the female’s. Contrary to popular belief, it is not an exceptionally large snake. It commonly grows to a length of 7 to 10 feet, although some may be as large as 15 feet.

ADAPTATIONS: The Boa Constrictor is largely a nocturnal reptile. They are found both on the ground and in trees. However, it is primarily arboreal, spending most of its time wrapped around low branches waiting for animals to pass. When prey is seized, the boa tightens its coils so that the prey cannot breathe. Death is generally the result of suffocation rather than crushing. It is dangerous when provoked and will defend itself when it feels threatened or cornered. A boa can inflict a bad wound when it bites, but it has no venom. Even the largest ones rarely attack humans. A normal-sized boa could not kill an adult human and could certainly not swallow one.

DIET: The Boa Constrictor feeds on large lizards, small or medium birds, opossums, bats, mongooses, rats and squirrels. It will detect its prey through heat-sensitive scales.

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Little is known about the reproductive habits among the giant snakes. Prior to mating, however, the male is known to scratch the female with his tiny spurs. Boas are ovoviviparous, which means that the females give birth to already-formed young that emerge from the egg inside her. A litter of 30 to 50 young snakes is common. A young boa is about 1 ½ feet at birth and has the same shape and coloring as the adult. Large oval spots of a light hazel color (with a tinge of pink in the youngest) appear on a brown or brick-red background of the flat back, while a complex pattern decorates the sides.

STATUS IN WILD: The pet trade is no longer a threat to the Boa Constrictor because they readily breed in captivity. However, the wild population is declining due to increasing deforestation, over-collection of its skin and consumption by some cultures.