The boa constrictor is a large snake that kills its prey by coiling around it so tightly that it cannot breathe. Despite this deadly strength, the boa constrictor has gained popularity as a pet because it is mild-mannered, easily tamed, and not poisonous. They are so well behaved that some farmers even keep them around their fields, barns, and storage bins to hunt the rats and mice that eat their grain. Where boa constrictors liveBoa constrictors live in a variety of habitats throughout Central and South America, including both tropical rainforests and dry scrublands and grasslands. The largest boa constrictors are found in South America. Physical characteristicsThe thick, muscular bodies of boa constrictors grow to about 10 feet (3 meters) in length, but some have been measured at more than 18 feet (5.5 meters). Central American boas rarely reach a length of more than 8 feet (2.4 meters). Some boa constrictors may be red or silver. However, most have a brown and gray body marked with a pattern of brown and black triangles and ovals, with white borders and streaks. The long, triangular head of a boa constrictor has dark streaks from the eyes to the back of the jaw and another dark streak along the top. BehaviorDuring the day the boa constrictor rests in tree hollows, old logs, and animal burrows. At night it hunts a wide variety of birds, reptiles, and mammals. It hunts most animals on the ground, but it also climbs into trees in search of birds. Females give birth to litters of live young that measure from 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 meter) long. Litters may include several dozen babies. |