Photo by Justin Ziadeh on Unsplash
Boa Constrictor
Jan 15, 2010
Design

The boa constrictor has a strong tail that can cling to tree branches, enabling it to swing by its tail from a tree and swat a bird from the air. The boa plays an important role in its habitat by keeping down the population of many small rodents. This function was developed after the Fall, since all animals were originally plant-eaters.
Features
- The common boa has patterns of reddish-brown that are outlined in black on its pale body. These patterns are shaped like ovals, diamonds, or bats.
- The boa has very small fangs and no venom. It wraps its body around its victim and suffocates it to death.
Fun Facts
- Some boas can change colors like a lizard.
- This snake has heat-sensitive scales, instead of heat-sensitive pits.
- The boa constrictor not only has color vision, it also has extended infra-red vision well beyond where humans can see. This enables it to sense temperature differences of less than 0.03oC, enabling it to find live targets in the dense forest.
- The female boa produces live offspring instead of laying eggs.
Created Kind Members
Python
CLASS: Reptilia (reptiles)
ORDER: Squamata (amphisbaenians, lizards, and snakes [scaly])
FAMILY: Boidae (boas and pythons)
GENUS/SPECIES: Boa constrictor
Size: 5–14 ft (1.6–4.3 m)
Weight: 60–100 lbs (27–45 kg)
Original Diet: Plants
Present Diet: Birds, lizards, rodents, and other small mammals
Habitat: Forest, desert, grassland in Central and South America
Read More Articles
Supplemental material for the Zoo Guide: A Bible-Based Handbook to the Zoo