The scientific name Candoia Bibroni is commonly known as Bibron's Bevel-Nosed Boa. This type of snake can grow more than 4 feet (1.2m) in length in adult size. It's coloration is quite interesting with it being pale brown or even a reddish brown with stripes or spots.

  

These snakes can sneak up to its prey easily by slithering quietly on the ground with a big jump. This interesting snake when young eats frogs and large lizards including tegus, iguanas and ameivas while adults eat small rodents. Like other snakes, they have to be careful on finding their prey or else it will run off and the snake will lose its meal. Depending on their diet, snakes will compete with other animals for food such as birds, amphibians, mammals and even other snakes. Large birds, wild boars, mongoose, raccoons, foxes, coyotes and even other snakes will eat the Bibron's bevel-nosed boa.

 

To protect itself from being eaten, it will either fight back by biting or flee so it won't risk its life. Found mostly in Melanesia and Polynesia, they live in coconut plantations and rainforests. They mostly are found there because they can camouflage to the background to hide from predators and get a good visual on their prey. To eat their prey, first they wrap their body around their meal really tight until it dies. Once it’s dead, they slowly swallow it whole. This type of snake isn't venomous so instead of using its fangs, it uses its body.

  

There are around 2,400 different types of snakes found in the world. Only 2,000 are not poisonous leaving 400 poisonous. The population will always increase but then again decrease because of mating and the death of snakes. Snakes can live up to 10 to 25 years of average depending on what species they are.

 

Some interesting facts about this reptile are that like other snakes, they can survive without food for several days. They have a slow metabolic rate and thus surviving for several days without food. Also, that the Bevel Nosed-Boa was discovered in 1996 and many others were being waited to be discovered too. Lastly, that instead of its original color as pale brown, a new type was discovered as to even white.

 

Author: Maria M

Published: 02/2010

 

Sources: "Bevel-Nosed Boas." Reptiles: Snakes, Lizards, Turtles, Tortoises, Amphibians, and Crocodilians Resource Center - ReptileChannel.com. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. http://www.reptilechannel.com/snakes/snake-species/bevel-nosed.boa.aspx Boas (Boidae)." Novelguide: Free Study Guides, Free Book Summaries, Free Book Notes, & More. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/grze_07/grze_07_00471.html "Candoia bibroni facts - Freebase." Freebase - A wealth of free data. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. http://www.freebase.com/view/en/candoia_bibroni "Rainforest Snakes And Snakes' Unique Anatomy." Rainforests, Rainforest Animals, Other Environmental Issues And Practical Environmental Solutions. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/Rainforest-Snakes.html "Snake Adaptations." Backyard Nature with Jim Conrad. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. http://www.backyardnature.net/snakadap.htm

 

Photo Credit: Fredrik Averback http://www.candoia.s5.com/photo4.html