The gestation period lasts anywhere from 5 to 8 months, after which the female gives birth to an average of 24 young snakes. At the end of the gestation period they give birth to live young. They are viviparous, which means they develop their young within the uterus using a placenta. These snakes breed during the dry season, and usually only reproduce every other year. They spend most of their nights lying in wait for prey to come close enough to strike. When the weather is cold, some snakes do emerge during the daytime to bask in the sun. Unlike some reptiles, these creatures hunt at sunrise, sunset, and overnight. They live alone, and only interact with other members of their species to reproduce. Behavior of the Boa Constrictorīoas are solitary snakes. This prevents injury to the snake and potential intestinal parasites. The safest way to feed them is using frozen rodents that you thaw before feeding. Reptile keepers feed their snakes rats and mice. Their housing also needs high humidity and high temperature, these specifications must be maintained for the snake to remain healthy. Young snakes live in smaller enclosures, but you must graduate them to larger habitats as they grow. You need an enclosure that fits the size of your snake. Many people also underestimate their lifespan, and do not realize they are a several-decade long commitment. They grow quite large, and adult snakes need extensive housing to live in. Even captive-bred animals are wild snakes with specific dietary and housing needs. Does the Boa Constrictor Make a Good Petįor most people, boas do not make good pets. Humans have not domesticated this reptile in any way.

Certain subspecies and regional populations face more danger than others. However, they have wide distribution and high populations. Habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade threatens wild populations. Human activity does impact this species to some extent. It takes several days for them to digest a meal. Instead, they use their muscular bodies to cut off their prey’s circulation. They hang from a branch, holding incredibly still, and wait for prey to come too close. Their primary sources of prey are rats and mice, birds, bats, and other small creatures. They are not picky, and will eat just about anything that they can easily catch and swallow. Diet of the Boa Constrictorīoas are carnivores, and only eat other animals. For example, the Pearl Island Boa subspecies lives only on the Pearl Islands near Panama. Researchers split the species into separate subspecies, and each subspecies has its own unique range. Their range extends from the Andes Mountains to the eastern coast of South America. You can find populations in Central and South America, as well as many of the neighboring islands. These snakes have an incredibly wide distribution. They are particularly fond of farms and agricultural areas, which typically have a large population of rats and mice. Outside of living as a pet, boas also live in close proximity to humans in the wild. You can also commonly find them near riparian areas – which are regions alongside rivers and lakes. In the wild, they prefer the edges of rainforests, but they also occupy grasslands, scrublands, woodlands, and even semi-arid regions. This species lives in a variety of different ecosystems. In fact, they are actually beneficial because they eat rats and mice that spread disease! In reality, these boas do not pose a danger to humans. Sad Stigma – Even though many people keep them as pets, these creatures face the same stigma as all snakes.Long Lived – This species is a popular pet, but many people do not realize that they live incredibly long lives! Healthy boas regularly reach their 20 th or 30 th birthday, and some even live past 40!.The latest research tells us that these snakes actually use their muscular bodies to cut off their prey’s blood circulation. In reality, it takes an incredibly long time for an animal to suffocate, and that gives the animal lots of time to bite and claw at the snake. Constriction – It is a common myth that constrictors suffocate their prey.However, not all species of boas are Boa Constrictors! Only the species Boa Constrictor is the true Boa Constrictor. That Boa’s a Constrictor, but it’s not a Boa Constrictor – All of the different species of boas use their muscular bodies to constrict and kill their prey.They are impressive predators, and have several unique traits that help them survive. This species of snake is quite interesting. Interesting Facts About the Boa Constrictor Along their backs, they have darker portions of scales in a saddle-like pattern. Their coloration varies, though most have brown or grey scales.

Boa constrictor size