Moreover, avoid handling your snake for at least 24 hours after a meal, or regurgitation might occur. Boas generally like to hide with their prey to eat it. So don't be surprised if your snake disappears into a hide box with its meal, and you don't see it for a while.
Feeding time is when the most care is required for handling boa constrictors as with any other snake. Do not feed by hand, as this increases the risk of accidental bites if they mistake fingers for food.
And wash your hands well after handling food, or the snake might strike at your hand. A handling stick can help to push the snake away from the cage door at feeding time to prevent problems. The most serious disease that can affect boa constrictors is inclusion body disease, or IBD. This is a fatal retrovirus that's similar to HIV in humans. An infected snake can appear healthy, as the virus can lay dormant for several years. Symptoms of IBD include a boa breathing with its mouth open, poor appetite, and excessive amounts of saliva.
In advanced cases, IBD can cause snakes to lose control of their bodily movements. Housing your boa constrictor in separate enclosures from other snakes is a way to prevent the spread of IBD; it can be transmitted from snake to snake via mites, which carry infected bodily fluids. Boas are also susceptible to respiratory infections, mostly resulting from insufficiently heated enclosures. The signs of a respiratory infection include wheezing, nasal discharge, and holding its head up for long periods.
If you see a foamy substance coming from a boa's mouth, this might be a sign of pneumonia, which requires immediate treatment. Finally, poor husbandry practices can lead to scale rot and blister disease in boa constrictors. Blister disease can appear like burns on the snake's skin and is usually caused by overheated cages or a lack of humidity. Scale rot usually indicates a breakdown of the immune system. Both of these skin conditions require treatment by a specialist.
When you are ready to purchase your pet boa constrictor, know how to identify a healthy snake. Some of the signs include:. As with other reptiles, it's best to choose a captive-bred specimen, and boa breeders are fairly easy to find given the animal's popularity.
Captive-bred boas are generally healthier and more docile than their wild-caught counterparts. The prices can widely vary, depending on the type. Otherwise, check out other types of reptiles and amphibians that can be your new pet.
Providing a Home for a Reptile. Merck Veterinary Manual. They kill by stopping the blood flow inside their prey, according to the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Researchers from the study found that when a boa constrictor kills its prey, it squeezes hard enough to inhibit its blood pressure, blood ion balance, blood gases, and heart function.
This indicates that boa constrictors can even attack stronger and larger animals than themselves. Boa constrictors are typically an apex predator in their own ecosystems, but their young are preyed upon by bigger and stronger carnivorous animals. They are experiencing habitat loss, such as the destruction of forests. Also, boas are used in the pet trade and widely killed for their skin and meat.
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Size relative to a 6-ft man:. Not evaluated. Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Unknown.
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Boa constrictors are nonvenomous snakes found in Central and South America. They are named after their mode of predation: constriction. Fact sheet Conservation Physical Description While many others may be afraid of boa constrictors, there are very few cases of them attacking humans; even human babies are too large to be suitable prey for boa constrictors. Size They range in length from 20 inches 50 centimeters as newborns, or neonates, to 13 feet 3. Native Habitat Boa constrictors are found from northern Mexico to Argentina.
Social Structure They are largely solitary animals until the breeding season. Reproduction and Development Litter size: young, average of 25 Gestation: months Boa constrictors live in areas that are generally subject to wet and dry seasons. Sleep Habits As nocturnal animals, boa constrictors hunt at night. Lifespan Boa constrictors live years in the wild.
Help this Species Choose your pets wisely, and do your research before bringing an animal home. Many require special care and live for a long time. Tropical reptiles and small mammals are often traded internationally and may be victims of the illegal pet trade. Never release animals that have been kept as pets into the wild. Share the story of this animal with others.
Simply raising awareness about this species can contribute to its overall protection.
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