Data sheet Boa constrictor
Trade name:
boa constrictor
Latin name:
boa constrictor
Order:
snakes
Family:
Boidae (boa constrictors)
Genus:
boa
Origin:
Latin and South America
Size (in cm:
150 to 450
Terrarium size:
at least 230 cm
Temperature:
between 24 and 30 °C (daytime), between 30 and 30 °C (at night)
Behave
Lining:
Live food, for example mice or rats
Behave:
loves water, mindful
Number:
individually
Life expectancy:
at least 20 years
Difficulty level:
Medium Embreus, Boa constrictor head, CC BY 3.0
General information
The boa constrictor is a species-rich boa snake. Boas are constrictors that entangle their prey and kill it. The nickname constrictor refers to this behavior and means contraction.
The habitat of the boa constrictor
The natural habitat of this snake species ranges from northern Mexico to South America. This boa has settled in different areas. It inhabits the jungles of the Amazon, rain forests, mountain forests in the tropics, bush areas and savannahs. It usually stays near bodies of water.
The Boa constrictor is a crepuscular and nocturnal animal. During the day it withdraws into hollow trees, caves and other hiding places. She only comes out to sunbathe occasionally.
Young boas are mainly found in branches on trees and adult animals spend most of their lives on the ground. The boa contrictor’s urge to move is low, because a wild boa contrictor does not crawl further than 140 meters in two weeks.
size and appearance
The boa constrictor is considered the smallest boa constrictor. Their subspecies naturally vary in size (emperor boa: up to 1 meter in length, king boa: up to 4 meters in length). An adult snake weighs around 30 kilograms.
The boa constrictor has a large, broad head that tapers towards the mouth. Their jaws are only loosely connected, allowing them to unhook the jaws when swallowing down their prey.
colors and patterns
The patterns and different basic colors of the boa are impressive. The palette ranges from grey-brown, cream-colored to black. Also typical are the brown saddle patches on the back, which are sometimes colored red on the tail.
A visible line runs down the forehead to the snake’s mouth. Behind her eyes she wears a dark colored temple band which extends from the mouth to the sides of the neck.
Behave
Boa constrictors are mostly ground dwellers. The young animals like to live on tree branches. When the animals get bigger and older, they prefer to live on the ground.
However, the snake is not fond of movement. Her favorite place is her shelter, because she leaves from time to time to sunbathe and warm up, since she is cold-blooded and therefore has no independent way of regulating her body temperature.
lining
The boa constrictor will eat almost any live animal within its size range except spiders and insects. She prefers warm prey to cold ones.
The boa hunts in two ways. On the one hand, she follows the scents of her prey or she lies in wait. When she gets close enough to her prey, she quickly grabs her, crushing her prey with her large body until it collapses and suffocates.
This process can take 15 minutes and is a tedious affair. So that the boa does not use up enormous amounts of energy, it feels the heartbeat of its prey and stops gagging when it comes to cardiac arrest.
gender differences
Male and female boa constrictors share a similar appearance, but external identification marks can reveal gender. Adult males are on average about 30 centimeters shorter than females.
Their anal spurs are helpful in determining sex. They lie to the right and left of their cloaca. They resemble two tiny claws. Males have stronger anal spurs than females.
It’s still complicated to tell the sexes of snakes apart. If you are unsure, you should ask a veterinarian who is familiar with reptiles.
reproduction and breeding
Is the boa constrictor an egg-laying animal?
The boa constrictor gives birth to live young, so it is not an egg-laying animal. She gives birth to between 5 and 40 young about 100 days after mating. In the wild, the young animals have to take care of themselves from the start.
Small boas kept in terrariums should move to their own terrarium.
If you want to breed boas yourself, you should inquire at your veterinary office. There are also many different boa species.
attitude
The boa constrictor loves temperatures between 24 and 30 °C during the day. The terrarium tank should consist of different heat zones. Sunny places with over 30 °C can be reached with heat lamps. Additional plateaus are suitable as sunbathing areas.
At night it should not be less than 20 °C. A humidity level of 70 percent is good. This can be achieved by spraying it every day. The snake gets a good day-night rhythm when daylight is around 12 hours.
terrarium size
A boa constrictor is more of a loner. So keeping them alone makes sense. A full glass terrarium is a good choice.
The size of the terrarium depends on the body length and age of the boa constrictor. The minimum dimensions should be 2.30 meters and 120 × 60 × 60 L × W × H.
Optimal terrarium equipment
The boa constrictor is not very active and therefore needs a few hiding places. Plastic bowls, snake houses available in pet shops, flower pots or wooden boxes are suitable. A fine-grained wood granulate is suitable as a floor.
As a boa constrictor gets heavier and bigger, it doesn’t need as many climbing options. But young snakes like to climb. They gladly accept a few suitable climbing branches. Older boas like higher lying boards.
Boas like to take a bath and therefore a spacious bathing area should not be missing in the terrarium. It is best to change the bath water every day and clean it thoroughly once a month.
Nutrition
The boa eats live vertebrates. Rats and mice are at the top of their menu. The age of the snake must be taken into account and there should also be intervals between feedings. Young animals are fed every 5th to 7th day, up to 2 years it is every 20th to 14th day and in adulthood one feeding every 14 to 21 days is sufficient.
So far, this boa species has not been subject to any registration requirements in Germany. Every owner is obliged to have proof of the origin of his snake. A purchase should only be made from a reputable breeder. Different legal regulations apply from state to state as to whether the boa constrictor is one of the potentially dangerous animals.
socialization
The Boa constrictor is a solitary animal. Socializing doesn’t make sense here
Other questions
How often does a boa constrictor molt?
Boas never stop growing and molt regularly. Healthy young snakes molt every 6th to 8th week, older animals only every 3rd to 6th month. If the snake’s skin becomes paler and its eyes cloudy, molting will soon occur. Regular spraying with lukewarm water makes it easier for her to skin.
Is a boa constrictor dangerous to humans?
The snake is not a cuddly toy. It should therefore only be admired in the terrarium. An adult boa is fast and powerful, which is never to be underestimated. If you take these points into account, you will have a mostly peaceful animal.
Is a boa constrictor a venomous animal?
No, a boa constrictor does not have fangs, so it cannot produce snake venom. She strangles her prey with strong muscle power. The nocturnal animal hunts at dusk and when it scents and catches a prey animal, it entangles and strangles it to swallow it down whole.
This is to be considered when buying
Numerous terrarium animals are subject to species protection because the wild stocks are endangered or may be endangered in the future. Therefore, trading with them is partly regulated by law.
There are now many German offspring. Before making a purchase, interested parties should find out about any legal regulations.