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. The Boa constrictor also has a fairly long life in captivity lasting 20 to 30 years but in some cases even up to forty years.Their coloration varies, though most have brown or grey scales. After being kept for a period of time the Boa constrictor will become tame and be calm. Unlike some snakes the Boa constrictor does well in captivity. Boa constrictors most commonly breed during the dry season. Boa constrictors are viviparous meaning that they give birth to living babies. These strips become more pronounced closer to the tail of the Boa constrictor. Most Boa constrictors have either a brown, grey or cream base, complemented by brown or reddish brown stripes. This difference in color is generally due to location. Most Boa constrictor's diet consists of a variety of birds and rodents. Boa constrictor's usually weigh in at about 65 pounds. A Boa constrictor can measure anywhere from 3 feet to a large 13 feet. The Boa constrictor is a heavy-bodied snake.

Rainforest boa constrictor