Boa constrictor is a non-venomous boa species. The snake can be found in Central and South America, and on some islands in the Caribbean. The color pattern of its skin can vary considerably. There are ten subspecies.

Prey includes a wide variety of small to medium-sized mammals and birds. The bulk of their diet consists of rodents, but larger lizards and mammals as big as ocelots are also reported to have been consumed.

The largest documented skin found was 14.6 feet in length. A report of a boa constrictor growing up to 18.5 ft was later found to be a misidentified green anaconda.

Here are a few interesting facts about Boa Constrictors.

• Boas can reach lengths from 3 to 13 feet, depending on the locality and the availability of suitable prey. Females are generally larger in both length and girth than males.

• Boas can use their tails to grasp things.

• Boa constrictors have two lungs, a smaller (non-functional) left and an enlarged (functional) right lung, to better fit their elongated shape.

• Boas are viviparous, which mean that they give birth to live young. The gestation period is around 100–120 days. The baby snakes can range between 15–20 inches and the litter size can be from 10 to 65, but average about 25.

These long fellows are available for a 2-week check-out from the Living Science Material Center CO-OP page.