Boa Constrictor - Boa constrictor
[Back to Snake Care Sheets]

General Information

Distribution — The Boa Constrictor is found in parts of Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, the Guyana's, Trinidad, Tobago and Central America.

Habitat — Semi-arid to tropical rainforest, at both high and low elevations.

Adult Size — Female Boa Constrictors can be expected to reach sizes of 305 cm to 375 cm (10' - 12'). Males stay a little bit smaller, generally around 244 cm (8'). Baby boas are between 36 cm and 56cm (14" - 22").

Temperament — Boa Constrictors are one of the 'gentle giants' in the snake world. Both baby and medium size individuals can be handled without any problems. However, some extremely large adults may take two people to support them properly. Despite being a generally good natured species, large Boa Constrictors should be recognized as an animal that deserves respect. In other words - hands off if you notice the big guy is getting a little grouchy!!!! Most boas stay calm throughout their entire lives, which makes them very appealing to the average keeper.

Longevity — A Boa Constrictor can be expected to live between 20 and 30 years in captivity.

Captive Care

Rating: 2 — Due to this animals good nature, feeding habits, and availability as domestically bred stock it gets a better rating than most large snakes. Boa Constrictors are an excellent choice for young adult and adult keepers wanting to start keeping larger snakes. They have an excellent temperament, are easily maintained, and are quite attractive snakes. However, these animals do get fairly large and need to be adequately housed. If housing needs are not a problem, this snake is an excellent choice.

Diet: Young - hopper mice; Adults - small rabbits

Temperature: 25OC to 29OC (76 to 85 F).

Space: A fully grown Boa Constrictor can be housed in a minimum sized enclosure of 6'x2'x2'. Younger boas can be kept in a 20 to 35 gallon terrarium until they get a little larger.

Breeding: Boa Constrictors are sexually mature at 2.5 to 5 years of age. Cycling is necessary to induce breeding which normally occurs between September and February. Gestation usually lasts 4 to 8 months with litters of 25 to 30 produced.

Special Requirements: Boa Constrictors are a pretty hardy snake. As long as you give them enough space and remember to keep them warm (as it is sometimes hard to keep a large enclosure warm), you should have a long lived and healthy snake.

Sources (Suggested Reading):

Fogel, David. 1997. Captive Husbandry and Propagation of The Boa Constrictors and Related Boas. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. Pp. 98.

Mattison, Chris. 1995. Keeping and Breeding Snakes. Cassell Publishing, London, UK. Pp. 184.

Ross, Richard A. and Gerald Marzec. 1990. The Reproductive Husbandry of Pythons and Boas. The Institute for Herpetological Research Stanford, California. Pp. 270.

Stoops, Erik d. and Annette T. Wright. 1993. Boas & Pythons: Breeding and Care. TFH Publications, Inc. Neptune City, NJ. Pp. 192.

Vosjoli, Philippe de. 1998. The Boa Constrictor Manual. Advanced Vivarium Systems, Inc., Santee, CA. Pp. 84.

[Back to Snake Care Sheets]