Identification

• Boa constrictors vary in color with some having tan bodies and others a more pinkish hue. The snake will possess a number of dark shaded bands on its body that enable it to blend in with its habitat.
  
  

Size

• The largest boa constrictors will attain lengths of 13 feet and weigh as much as 100 pounds. Despite their size, they are at home in trees and are accomplished swimmers.
  
  

Function

• While these snakes are not venomous, they do have jaws full of smallish teeth designed for grasping an animal and holding it tight while it works its body around it.
  
  

Bats

• A favorite prey of boa constrictors is the bat. The snake will hang from a tree branch near a cave and with its mouth capture the flying mammals as they leave their enclosure.
  
  

Habitat

• The boa has the ability to survive in many different ecosystems. It is at home in the savannah grasslands, tropical rain forests, desert-like arid areas and at low and moderate elevations.