Boa Constrictor
(Boa Constrictor)

Range: South and Central America

Habitat: Rainforest (Arboreal)

Diet: Rodents such as rats, birds, and sometimes small pigs.

Identification: Large, tan snakes with brown markings. They can exceed ten feet in length.

Notes: These large snakes are known for their impressive length and preferred method of execution-constriction. A boa constrictor will wrap themselves around their prey, gradually increasing the pressure as they begin to coil around their prey, until they have crushed the prey animal’s lungs- asphyxiating it. No bones are broken in this process. Constrictors will bite their prey before it is dead, though usually after it is somewhat weakened as the snake does not want to lose dentition to a struggling meal. The Snake will then begin to swallow the prey, opening their incredibly flexible mouth as the snake works its mouth further down the animal. A lump can be seen where the consumed animal rests in the snake’s digestive tract. The Red-Tailed subspecies is one of the most commonly kept of the Boa Constrictor subspecies. Boas can live for a few decades if cared for properly, but they require incredibly large enclosures, large rats, and specific temperature requirements to keep them happy and healthy, and are a very bad choice for most people. Being a boa, they give birth to live young. Pythons lay eggs and this is one of the physical differences between the two. Boa constrictors are non-venomous, though they can give a pretty nasty bite if provoked. They are considered “primitive” snakes.
 
At The Children’s Museum: The Children’s Museum has Boa Constrictors in the UTC Wildlife Sanctuary. Roaring Brook nature Center has a large Boa Constrictor named Floyd in their Auditorium, pictured above.