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constrictor flourishes in a wide variety of environmental conditions, from tropical rainforests to arid semidesert country. Croix in the US Virgin Islands now appears to be reproducing in the wild.ī. An introduced populations exists in extreme southern Florida, and a small population on St. Lucia), on San Andrés, Providencia and many other islands along the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America. Boa constrictors also have two lungs, a smaller (nonfunctional) left and an enlarged (functional) right lung to better fit their elongated shape, unlike many colubrid snakes, which have completely lost the left lung.ĭepending on subspecies, Boa constrictor can be found through Central America (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama) to South America north of 35°S (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina), and in the Lesser Antilles (Dominica and St. Boa constrictors have an arrow-shaped head with very distinctive stripes on it: One runs dorsally from the snout to the back of the head the others run from the snout to the eyes and then from the eyes to the jaw.īoa constrictors can sense heat via cells in their lips, though they lack the labial pits surrounding these receptors seen in many members of the Boidae family. Although these individuals are rare in the wild, they are common in captivity, where they are often selectively bred to make a variety of different color "morphs". The colouring works as very effective camouflage in the jungles and forests of its natural range.Īlso, some individuals exhibit pigmentary disorders, such as albinism. constrictor the common name of "red-tailed boa", as it typically has more red saddles than other B. However, they are generally a brown, grey, or cream base colour, patterned with brown or reddish-brown "saddles" that become more pronounced towards the tail. The colouring of boa constrictors can vary greatly depending on the locality. Pelvic spurs are the only external sign of the rudimentary hind legs and pelvis, seen in all boas and pythons. Other examples of sexual dimorphism in the species include males generally having longer tails to contain the hemipenesand also longer pelvic spurs, which are used to grip and stimulate the female during copulation. constrictor reaches, and occasionally tops, the averages given above, as it is one of the relatively large subspecies of Boa constrictor. These smaller subspecies are generally insular populations. Several populations of boa constrictors are known as "dwarf boas", such as the population of B. The size and weight of a boa constrictor depends on subspecies, locale, and the availability of suitable prey. Some specimens of this species can reach or possibly exceed 45 kg (100 lb), although this is not usual.

Females, the larger sex, more commonly weigh 10 to 15 kg (22 to 33 lb). The boa constrictor is a heavy-bodied snake, and large specimens can weigh up to 27 kg (60 lb). A report of a boa constrictor growing up to 18.5 ft (5.6 m) was later found to be a misidentified green anaconda. Females commonly exceed 10 ft (3.0 m), particularly in captivity, where lengths up to 12 ft (3.7 m) or even 14 ft (4.3 m) can be seen. As such, the usual size of mature female boas is between 7 and 10 ft (2.1 and 3.0 m), and 6 and 8 ft (1.8 and 2.4 m) for the males. Clear sexual dimorphism is seen in the species, with females generally being larger in both length and girth than males. The boa constrictor is a large snake, although it is only modestly sized in comparison to other large snakes, such as the reticulated python and Burmese python, and can reach lengths from 3–13 ft (0.91–3.96 m) depending on the locality and the availability of suitable prey. Physical description and anatomy Size and weight

Other common names include chij-chan (Mayan), jiboia (Latin American), and macajuel (Trinidadian). imperator, which is also regularly, and erroneously, referred to as a "red-tailed boa" or "common boa".

Within the exotic pet trade, it is also known as a "BCC", an abbreviation of its scientific name, to distinguish it from other boa constrictor subspecies such as B. constrictor, is often referred to specifically as the "red-tailed boa". Though all boids are constrictors, only this species is properly referred to as a "boa constrictor" - a rare instance of an animal having the same common English name and scientific binomial name.Īll subspecies are referred to as "boa constrictors", while the nominate subspecies, B.