It’s quite normal for a boa constrictor to live for twenty to thirty years or more. Boa Constrictor Lifespanīoa constrictors are among the longest-lived snake species in the world. The largest boa constrictor on record is believed to have been 14 feet in length. Most captive-bred boa constrictors do not exceed a weight of 60 pounds, with most subspecies topping out at around 30 pounds. Male boa constrictors tend to be a little smaller than females. The average adult size ranges from 4 to 7 feet in length, with some individuals occasionally reaching 8 or 9 feet in length. Newborn boa constrictors range in length between 14 and 22 inches and weigh just 2 to 3 ounces. Boa Constrictor Sizeīoas are one of the few snakes that produce live births, versus eggs that need to be incubated. There are six subspecies currently recognized by all herpetologists, including the Common Boa Constrictor, Red-Tailed Boa Constrictor, Clouded Boa Constrictor, San Lucia Boa Constrictor, Short-Tailed Boa Constrictor, and Argentine Boa Constrictor. They make a threatening, growling, hissing sound to ward off enemies.This is one of the few instances where an animal’s scientific name is the same as its common name. Large mammals like jaguars, birds of prey like different eagle species, and reptiles like caimans and crocodiles are known to feed on boa constrictors, especially the smaller, younger ones. The tiny hooked teeth that line the jaw help with both hunting and swallowing. They can open their jaws wide enough to fit the whole prey into their mouth. They do not eat anything else during this whale period. It takes about a week to several months to digest it due to its slow metabolism. Once it’s dead, the snake swallows the prey whole. However, they may become active predators in places where food is scarce.įirst, they grab the prey with their teeth and wrap themselves around its body to cut off the blood flow and oxygen supply to kill it quickly. Since they are ambush predators, These snakes usually wait for their prey to get near enough to strike. In some parts of their distribution, they play an essential role in controlling rodent populations. Apart from being popular exotic pets, these snakes are also caught and killed for their skin. Still, with their generally peaceful nature, they do well in captivity and are commonly kept as pets. However, like all other snakes, they tend to be more defensive when molting, as they cannot see well during that period. Those from South America are much easier to tame. The Central American specimens are usually more aggressive, so they hiss loudly and repeatedly strike when threatened. But they may bite if threatened or cornered, and their bite can be pretty painful, though not deadly. Are they Dangerous to Humansīeing constrictors, these snakes are non-venomous and hardly ever attack humans. The males have longer tails to accommodate the hemipenes and longer pelvic spurs - both used for mating and reproduction. Unlike many colubrids, these boas have a vestigial (non-functional) left lung along with the large and functioning right one. So, they use the heat sensors in their mouth and their excellent vision to understand their surroundings, much like other snakes typically do. Another triangular marking lies between the snout and eye on both sides, continuing behind the eyes and running down towards the jaw.ĭespite being a large snake from the Boidae family, they do not have labial pits in their head. A dark line runs from their nostril to the back of their head. Their arrow-shaped head, with distinctive markings, is one of their primary identifying features. Since these constrictors are one of the most popular snakes species to be kept as pets in the US, as well as around the rest of the world, there are several amazing color morphs, with the following being relatively common: Some of these are no longer considered, while others, like Boa nebulosa, Boa sigma, and Boa imperator, have become individual species. Many other snakes have been suggested as subspecies to Boa constrictors based on appearance or their distribution range. Argentine boa ( Boa constrictor occidentalis).Peruvian long-tailed boa ( Boa constrictor longicauda).Red-tailed boa (Boa constrictor constrictor).Here are the 4 recognised subspecies, with the red-tailed boa being the nominate subspecies.

Leopard kills yellow boa constrictor