Boa Constrictor
Boa constrictors are powerful snakes and stealthy hunters. They live in tropical climates throughout most of Central and South America, where they hunt at night.
- Common Name:
- Boa Constrictor
- Scientific Name:
- Boa constrictor
- Type:
- Reptiles
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Group Name:
- Bed, knot
- Average Life Span In The Wild:
- 20 to 30 years
- Size:
- 13 feet
- Weight:
- 60 pounds
The boa's hunting technique is generally to ambush prey, such as rats, birds, monkeys, or wild pigs. The snake swallows its prey whole. Food is digested by strong stomach acids.
After a large meal, a boa doesn't need to eat again for weeks. A boa constrictor grows throughout its whole life, which can be 20 to 30 years. An adult boa will generally weigh more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) and grow to about 13 feet (4 meters) long. Boa constrictors tend to live alone.
Mother boas give birth to about 60 babies at a time! A baby boa is on its own from the start. It is born with the instinct, or built-in knowledge, of how to hunt. It also has an instinct to hide to stay safe from predators. The baby boa's diet changes as it grows. The bigger it gets, the bigger its preferred prey becomes.