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The boa constrictor is a member of the boidae family. There are eight subspecies of the boa constrictor.Boas are a family of 49 species divided into 12 genera. The first constrictors appeared on Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 70.5 million years ago.
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They live in South America and on islands around the continent's coast.They are encountered on the territory of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Boa constrictors also live in southern Florida, however, the snakes have been introduced there by humans.
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They are found in a wide variety of habitats, from tropical rainforests to semi-desert areas.However, they strongly prefer forested areas that are rich in food, full of hiding places, and sufficiently moist and warm. Boas often live in the burrows of medium-sized mammals, which provide them with protection from potential predators.
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They are nocturnal.During the day, however, they can be found basking in the sun for energy.
After dark, they go out in search of food, where they find a hiding place to lurk for approaching prey and attack by surprise.
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They are solitary and group together mostly during the mating season.They spend most of their time on the ground, although they can climb and are sometimes found in trees.
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They are carnivores that hunt mostly from concealment. When there is not much potential prey in their environment, they are forced to hunt actively.Their diet consists mainly of birds and small and medium-sized mammals. Although their prey is usually rodent-sized, they are capable of taking down prey up to 50 cm in length. Juveniles often hunt amphibians, lizards, mice, small birds and bats due to their size.
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The boa will first attack its prey by sinking its teeth into it and then begin to wrap its body around it.Only when the victim dies does the boa continue to eat, consuming its prey whole. Contrary to what the name of these animals may imply, the victims are most often killed by blocking the circulation to major body organs such as the brain and heart, rather than by strangulation.
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Boa constrictors are very good swimmers.They can often be found in the vicinity of rivers and streams.
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They are aided in their hunting by their body coloring, which often matches their surroundings.Their skin color is made up of patches of brown, gray, and cream. The dark brown patches are less pronounced near the head and become more intense the closer they are to the tail.
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Boa constrictors grow up to 3 meters in length, with females being larger than males.The average size of females varies between 2.1 and 3 meters and males between 1.8 and 2.4 meters.
Females weigh between 10 and 15 kg. The largest boa constrictors exceed 45 kilograms.
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Boa constrictors have two lungs, but only one is used.The left lung is smaller and unused for breathing, which is done exclusively by the right lung. This is a rather unusual feature among snakes, as most colubrids have completely lost their left lung.
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The mating season lasts from April to August. A male will mate with several females during this time.It is the female who chooses her mate, first by attracting him with pheromones and then by fighting and assessing his ability to procreate. Copulation can last from a few minutes to a few hours, and the sperm deposited by the male can remain in the female's body for up to a year.
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They are oviparous. Pregnancy lasts 100 to 120 days and litter size varies greatly.There can be anywhere from 10 to 65 young (25 on average), some of which are unhatched or unfertilized eggs. Young Boa constrictors are between 38 and 51 cm long at birth.
The vast majority of these snakes reproduce sexually, although hermaphroditic reproduction has been observed.
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They reach sexual maturity at the age of 3-4 years when their length exceeds 180 cm.Reaching sexual maturity does not stop growth. Boas continue to grow throughout their lives, although at a slower rate than during the juvenile stage.
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Albino varieties of Boa constrictors also exist.They are not common in the wild, but are popular with breeders who cross them with other individuals to create new color varieties.
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Although they are quite effective predators themselves they also have many natural enemies.Most often, boa constrictors fall prey to eagles, hawks, alligators and caimans, as well as humans.
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The Boa constrictor spiecel is not endangered.Its population has declined only in some areas where it is captured for trade or killed by predators. It is considered an invasive species in Florida.
