Boa constrictor is a large snake that inhabits tropical parts of the Americas. It kills animals for food by squeezing them with its long body. It is not venomous (poisonous). Boa constrictors grow from 10 to 14 feet (3 to 4.3 meters) long. Most live in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname.
Boa constrictors defend themselves as other snakes do, by striking—that is, by throwing their heads and the front part of their bodies at the enemy. Their teeth can make serious wounds because they point inward. Boa constrictors eat birds and rodents. When hunting for prey, the snakes lie still and attack animals that pass by them. They eat prey by swallowing it whole. Boa constrictors can swallow animals much larger than their heads because the bones of their jaws, throat, and body can stretch apart. Like other snakes, boa constrictors may live for many months without eating. They may become inactive for a week or more after a meal while they digest their food.
Female boa constrictors do not lay eggs. Their young are born alive. They may give birth to 50 young snakes at one time.
See also Boa.
