JAmaican boa

Physical features

• As adults their length can range from 6-8 feet. Female Jamaican boas tend to be larger than their male counterparts.

• Their adult coloration is different across the body. The first third of the body of adults is tan, grayish, yellow, or orange with dark speckling. The remaining parts of the body are mostly black with a strong iridescence.

• Jamaican boas are nocturnal and ambush hunters.

Diet: Carnivore

• Wild – Bats, lizards, frogs, birds and rats.

• Zoo – Rats, mice, and chicks

Reproduction

• The gestation period for females is approximately 6-8 months.

• Jamaican boas are ovoviviparous. The baby snakes hatch inside the mother and are born as active live snakes.

Interpretive Information

• On the island they are often referred to as the Jamaican yellow snake.

• Jamaican boas are non-venomous constrictors that restrict blood flow and breathing of their prey by wrapping their body around it and constricting until the prey dies.

• These snakes are largely arboreal but have also been documented foraging for rats in people's homes.

• Jamaican boas use their prehensile tails to hang from trees while grabbing prey out of the air. They can constrict and swallow their prey while hanging from their tail.

• This and other related Caribbean boas are known to occasionally catch or attempt to catch bats mid-air as they exit caves in the evening.

Updated July 2024