Boa constrictor | Description, Size, Subspecies, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Boa constrictor | Description, Size, Subspecies, & Facts? ›

The boa constrictor

The usual size of mature female boas is between 7 and 10 ft (2.1 and 3.0 m) whereas males are between 6 and 8 ft (1.8 and 2.4 m). 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.

Answer and Explanation: There are more than 40 different species of boa constrictors. The largest species is the anaconda, the largest species of snake in the world. The largest anaconda on record was a female that measured 28 feet long.

Most adult Boa Constrictors are about 10-16 feet (3-5 m) in total length. These are very large, stout-bodied snakes with dark brown hourglass-shaped saddles down the body that become reddish bands towards the tail. The background coloration is usually tan, light brown, grayish brown, or cream colored.

Boa imperator (Central American Boa/Common Boa)

(You can refer to this CABI datasheet for details.) The Central American Boa tends to be the most docile of the Boa genus, and is the most common species available in the pet trade.

The Cropan's boa, native to Brazil's Atlantic Forest, hadn't been seen alive since its discovery in 1953. The rarest boa on Earth has been discovered in the rapidly shrinking Atlantic Forest outside São Paulo.

A lot of people will disagree but I think they make a perfect first snake to someone that is serious about their care. If you'd like a docile BI, I definitely recommend going with a Colombian. They are much calmer than Central American localities. They are also much larger, though.

†Titanoboa cerrejonensis

Titanoboa could grow up to 12.8 m (42 ft) long, perhaps even up to 14.3 m (47 ft) long, and weigh around 730–1,135 kg (1,610–2,500 lb). The discovery of Titanoboa cerrejonensis supplanted the previous record holder, Gigantophis garstini, which is known from the Eocene of Egypt.

The green anaconda is the heaviest, and sometimes longest, snake in the world. The boa species is found predominately in South America and can measure up to 20-feet long and weigh up to 550 pounds.

On average, pythons are larger than boa constrictors. This is because anacondas are the only species of giant boa, while most other boa constrictors top out at 12-18 feet long. There are several species of giant python, however, including the African python and the Burmese python, as well as the reticulated python.

What is the lifespan of a boa constrictor? ›

Boas are about 2 feet long when they are born and grow continually throughout their 25 to 30-year lifespan.

Size. Brazilian rainbow boas are a medium sized, round-bodied terrestrial boa and range from 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) in length.

Scaled reptiles

Boa constrictor / Order

But female boas reach much larger sizes than males do; male boas average approximately 6 feet in length, while females may exceed 8 feet and can weigh 50 pounds.

Boas are solitary animals that should be housed alone. Keeping more than one boa in the same habitat can encourage stress, aggression, and competition.

Though it thrives in tropical rainforests, it also inhabits savannas, cane fields, and semiarid scrublands. The snake's adult length is typically about 10 feet (3 metres), though individuals of more than 18 feet (5.5 metres) have been reported; Central American boas rarely exceed 8 feet (2.4 metres).

While a normal boa constrictor can measure as long as 18 feet and weigh around 60 pounds, the dwarf boa is drastically smaller. The snake measures up to 20 centimeters long, or 7.8 inches, is colored very similar to boa constrictors and has been named Tropidophis cacuangoae.