boa

Family - Boidae, the boas. Boa Constrictors are in the subfamily boinae. This snake is one of the few reptile species where its common name is also its scientific name.

Care Difficulty - Easy - if you can provide a proper home for this snake as it grows.

Size - while Boa Constrictors start out small (15 inches at birth) and "cute," they grow extremely quick. In their first year alone, they can reach 6 feet in length. In their second year, they can grow another 4 feet, and then their growth rate begins to slow down. This snake can reach 10 - 13 feet in captivity (and weigh 60 pounds or more), so carefully consider the snakes adult size before purchasing one of these snakes on the spur of the moment. The maximum reported length is 4.2 meters, which is about 14 feet long.

Description - Most non-herpers tend to think of any large snake as a "Boa Constrictor." Boa Constrictors can be variable in the range and brightness of their colors. Most are grayish or silverish with black and reddish brown markings. A dark line passes through the eye. Some individuals will have a reddish brown or even bright red tail, thus the common term Red-tail Boa. Note that while you'll see the name Red-tail Boa used through out the hobby, true Red-tail Boas are actually rare in the pet trade and only come from specific parts of South America. Not all Boa Constrictors have red tails, although you'll find many keepers and breeders call them by this name. Albino Boa Constrictors can be found in the pet trade as well. Another race of Boa Constrictor is the Hogg Island Boa Constrictor, which comes from an island off the coast of Honduras. Hogg Island boas are milky gray in color, and some have brilliant orange coloring as well. There are a wide variety of different races, and they are hottly disputed as to their validity. Some of the subspecies you'll see on the price lists include B. c. constrictor, B. c. amarali, B. c. imperator, B. c. longicausa, B. c. occidentalis, B. c. ortonii. A very dark form of Boa Constrictor can be found in mexico, and some people have tried to place this form in its own subspecies, B. c. mexicana, but this is not widely accepted in the hobby yet. The entire Boa Constrictor groups is confusing, and you cannot always go by what you read on price lists or the internet, as many hobbyists mix up the names.

Range - Boas can be found in Mexico, throughout central America, and down into South America to northern Argentina.

Diet and Feeding - Boa Constrictors eat rodents when they're young (appropriate-sized mice and rats). Juveniles should be fed as much as they'll take in one sitting,once a week. As they grow, feed them bigger and bigger rodents until they can eat several large rats at a single feeding. After that, many keepers switch their boas to eating pre-killed rabits or chickens.

Habits - Boas are mainly crepuscular ( coming out at dawn and dusk) and nocturnal, becoming active when the lighs are dimmed. In the wild, they hide in burrows or under deep foliage during the day and emerge at night to search for food. This snake tends to
be arboreal, at least in part, but older, larger snakes prefer to stay near the ground, camouflaged among the leaf litter by their brown saddle-pattern. Juveniles are more arboreal and may be found in the wild among the branches in a wide variety of habitats, from rain forests to savannnas and fields. In captivity it will utilize branches and other climbing surfaces in the cage as it roams at night.

Reproduction - Boa Constrictors are live bearers, in fact all boas are live bearers, unlike their Old World relatives, the pythons, which lay eggs. Typical litters range from 20-64 neonates, which are about 15 inches long at birth. They grow quickl;y and should be housed individually in 10-gallon tanks or plastic shoebox setup to start.

Temperature & Humidity - These tropical snakes need a hot and humid cage. Regular daytime cage temperatures should be 80-90F, with one end of the cage reaching up to 95F for the snake to bask. The nighttime temperature should not drop below 78F To keep the cage in the 80s, use undertank heaters placed at one end of the cage or a ceramic bulb that produces heat but no light. Whatever type of bulb you use, make sure it is placed outside of the cage, not inside where the snake can get burnt.

Temperament - Many Boa Constrictors can be calm and even gentle, but this depends on the individual snake. Purchase a captive-bred animal from a reptile breeder, and it is likely to be docile and even-tempered.

Housing - Juvenile Boa Constrictors do well when started out in a good-sized tank, such as 20-gallon "long" aquarium. use a simple substrate, such as newspaper or paper towels, to make cleaning easy. As the snake grows, it'll need to be moved into larger and larger cages, and a 55-gallon tank will do nicely for sub-adults. When they're almost full-grown, a large wooden or molded plastic enclosure will be necessary. Place a good sized water bow in the cage, and make sure it is always kept clean. Boas enjoy soaking in their water bowls, so be sure it is large enough for the animal to curl up in. A large water bowl will also help keep the humidity in the cage at the proper levels. As the snake grows, make sure you provide it with a bigger water container. You can use plastic tubs for large Boa constrictors. Some hobbyists soak their pets in the bathtub, especially when the snake is shedding, but this is not recomended. Even if you thoroughly clean the tub out after soaking the snake, one can not be sure the tub is thoroughly disinfected and free from diseases such as salmonellosis. Also remeber that all snakes regardless of their size, need hide boxes. Just try to make sure the hide box is of adequate size for your snake.

Other Notes - all of the snakes in the genus Boa are listed as threatened on C.I.T.E.S. Appendix II, which means their trade is regulated by the countries of origin, and importers/exporters need permits to legally take them out of the country. Once the proper permits are obtained, they may legally be bought and sold. However one member of the Boa group, the Argentine Boa (B. c. occidentalis), is listed on Appendix I, which gives it the highest level of protection, and this subspecies is considered to be endangered. To keep an animal on Appendix I, you will need a special permit.

Pet Suitability - Boa Constrictors may be easily cared for, but they do not always make the best pets. One of the things to consider before purchasing a
boa Constrictor is its adult size. When the animal grows out of the 20-gallon "long" aquarium, will you still be able to care for it properly? This is not the pet for you if you do not intend to keep it when it grows up. Zoos, pet stores and herpetological societies are inundated with requests from people who realize they don't want a big snake- after it's too late. Thanks to the large numbers of Boa constrictors bred today, their prices have fallen over the years, and it is easy to find a captive-bred boa at a relatively low price. Unfortunately, this low price has led to a flood of new hobbyists purchasing these snakes, sometimes without realizing just how big they will get when they mature.