Boa Constrictor

Boa Constrictors

Introduction

Boa Constrictors are non venomous snakes native to tropical Central and South America. They come in various colors depending on where they live. They tend to camouflage into their surroundings and have distinctive patterns on their backs. These snakes can grow up to 13 feet which is pretty long! They also weigh over 100 pounds. These snakes are often hunted for their beautiful skin and are endangered.

Behavior/ Diet

Boa Constrictors are excellent swimmers as well but they prefer to live on land. They primarily live in hollow logs and abandoned burrows. The Boa doesn't have venom but it is still a carnivore. It uses its jaws which are lined with small teeth to grasp the prey while they coil their muscular bodies around the prey. This suffocates the prey and the method is similar to the Burmese python. These snakes will eat almost anything they can get their mouth on. Like the python, they also swallow their food whole.

A Boa Constrictor coiling around its prey

Burmese Python

Burmese Python

Introduction

The Burmese Python is a non-venomous snake that is native to the jungles and grassy marshes of Southeast Asia. These snake come in many beautiful colors. These snakes are HUGE! They can grow up to 23 feet long and weigh over 200 pounds. Unfortunately, they are often treated badly by owners and hunters and because of this, they become inclined to attack which gives them a negative image, although they aren't violent if not tempted. 

Behavior/ Diet

The Burmese Python starts off being a tree dwelling snake when young. But as they mature and grow bigger and bigger, climbing trees isn't possible anymore so they become ground dwelling snakes. They are docile snakes. Something not widely known is that they are excellent swimmers and can stay submerged for 30 minutes. These pythons are carnivores as well. They eat primarily small birds and mammals. They are blind so they catch their prey by using chemical receptors on their tongues and heat sensors along their jaws. Once they catch their prey, they grasp it with their mouth and coil around it and suffocate it. They also tend to swallow their prey whole. 

Burmese Python eating an alligator