The Boa Constrictor

The boa constrictor is a large snake living in Central and South America. This large snake lives alone. Some people keep boas in the home to hunt rats. The boa constrictor is an endangered, protected animal.

Boa constrictors are carnivores, which means that they eat meat. They are mostly nocturnal animals, hunting at night. A boa constrictor does not bite its prey; it actually squeezes its prey to death. The boa then swallows its prey whole, usually head first, and lets the food digest inside its stomach. The stomach has very strong acids that digest the food. Boa constrictors have been known to eat small mammals, birds, and other reptiles. Once the boa has eaten, it does not need to eat for a few weeks. It takes that long to digest all the food!

Boa constrictors are cold-blooded animals. This means that they assume approximately the same temperature as their environment. They grow year after year to be one of the biggest snakes. They can get up to 10 feet long and weigh over 60 pounds. They are typically colored brown, black, or tan and come in a variety of patterns.