The Boa Constrictor or “The Red Tailed Boa” is the second largest snake in the world. They reach up to 6-8 feet if they are male, and 8-10 if female. Boas have no certain color at all; they all have different color due to the locality “they are generally a brown, grey or cream base color with a patterned that is brown or reddish brown.”

 

The boa has a large population of 300,000 that are all over the world, but can mostly be found in rain forest, or in semi desert. The reason for larger numbers of boas in the those area’s is because of the humidity and temperature of the rain forest and desert, also that the color of a boa such as the picture shown above blends with environment of a rain forest, then there’s the boa of the color “brown and black” which blends with a desert. Due to the environment of a boa in a rain forest they are also growing, because they are barely ever spotted with the camouflage of their environment.

 

With the help of camouflage food is easy to be found, which keeps them growing all the time. While they grow muscle is added to their tissue, which helps strangle their prey. Boas are eating every so often due to their slow digestive systems. They will eat only once for the first four months after eating a bird, rodent, or lizard. Boas never compete for food because they are never in groups. The only other thing that gets in the way of them eating is a hawk, because they eat the same thing a boa would eat.

 

When it comes to a boa diet its main food are large lizards, small or moderate-sized birds, opossums, bats, mongooses, rats, and squirrels. When it comes to Boas predators it rarely is eaten, due to them being hidden ¾ of the day. Crocodiles and jungle cats are enemies of boa constrictors.

 

During this report I have learned many things about this animal from what it eats to when it sleeps. Although I did not include as much as felt what was needed during this report it wouldn’t go along with the things that are supposed to be a part of this report.

 

Author: Tristan C

Published: 03/2010

 

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boa_constrictor#Feeding http://www.scottishexoticreptilesforum.co.uk/general-snake-keepers-discussions/571-common-boa-constrictor-care-sheet.html

 

Photo Credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boa_constrictor_(2).jpg