The boa constrictor is found from Argentina to northern Mexico.
Boa Constrictors are pinkish or tan in color, with dark crossbands. The boa constrictor feeds on large lizards, small or moderate sized birds, opossums, bats, mongooses, rats and squirrels. It is a nocturnal hunter, and it uses heat-sensitive pits to locate its prey. The boa constrictor's prey of choice is bats, which they catch by hanging from the brances of trees or the mouths of caves and knocking them out of the air as they fly
by. Boa constrictors range in length is from 50cm to 3.9m but one boa constrictor was recorded as 5.5m long.
There are also some snakes in the rainforest that are extremely poisonous like the eyeviper seen above, the Fer-de-lance, and the coral snake. These snakes are some of the most dangerous residents of the rainforest.
Boa constrictors are not poisonous; they use constriction to suffocate their prey, their name.
Boa constrictors are really interesting in how they reproduce since they give birth to live young instead of laying eggs like most snakes do.
The anaconda is one of well-known snakes of the rain forest. The anaconda is the largest known snake in the South American rain forests. Some grow longer than 30 feet (9 meters). They live near water and bear live young. They usually attack birds and small mammals although the larger ones have been known to attack larger mammals. Ancient legends of rain forest peoples speak of giant man-eating
anacondas whom they worship as gods in order to appease them. Anacondas kill their prey by wrapping their coils tightly around them cutting off all circulation and even breaking bones. But, like other snakes, they have been known to defend themselves by biting as well.Their teeth can inflict deep wounds but quickly heal.
Other Interesting Web Sites on Snakes
The Coral Snake
The Boa Constrictor
Pythons
Vipers
An Amazon Adventure - The Boa Constrictor
Go back to Animals in the Rainforest
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