Common boa constrictor (Boa constrictor). Common boa constrictor How long do imperial boa constrictors live?

Boa constrictor – water snake, Constrictor, Boa constrictor, Red-tail boa (English), Königsboa, Königsschlange, Abgottschlange, Amerikanische Boa (German).

There are 10 localites: B. c. constrictor – nominative subspecies.
B.c. amarali - Amaral's common boa constrictor.
B.c. imperator – imperial common boa constrictor.
B.c. longicauda – long-tailed common boa constrictor.
B.c. mexicana – Mexican common boa constrictor.
B.c. nebulosa – dark common boa constrictor.
B.c. occidentalis – western common boa constrictor.
B.c. orophias - St. Lucian common boa constrictor.
B.c. ortonii - Ortoni's common boa constrictor.
B.c. sabogae – Saboga common boa constrictor.

Average length body 2.5-3 m.
Lifespan in captivity up to 30 years.

Features of behavior- Adults have a docile nature and rarely express aggression. Young snakes can make tentative lunges and are occasionally aggressive. Prefer habitat with a constant source fresh water. Excellent at climbing trees. Depending on the biotope, it leads a semi-arboreal and arboreal lifestyle. Active during twilight and night hours. During the day it hides in shelters - crevices, snags, caves, hollows. Swims well, does not dive.

Gender Differences there are no males and females. Upon comparative examination, males can be noted to have more a long tail, with thickening at the cloaca. In females the tail is somewhat shorter and without thickening. Both sexes have claw-like rudiments at the anus, which are stronger and longer in males. Females have a more powerful build and larger size.
Puberty at 2.5-4 years. Ovoviviparous species. Pregnancy lasts from 5 to 7 months. The female gives birth to from 20 to 50 cubs. The first molt is a week after birth.

Content. Horizontal type terrarium . The size for small species is 45-45 cm, for larger representatives the area is from 70-45 cm. Temperature Range during the day 24-28, at the warming point 33-35oC, at night not lower than 24oC. Humidity About 50-80% is supported. A permanent body of water is needed in which the snake can safely fit completely. Priming not required. Suitable substrates include paper, napkins, rubber mats, and bark. Shelter placed if necessary, spacious and twilight. Place it in a cool corner. Daylight hours are 12 hours. You need to install ultraviolet lamps 5-8% UVB power.

Feeding Before a year you can do it once every 5-7 days, after a year once every 10-14 days. Forage rodents and small birds are used as food. The size of the prey varies depending on the size of the snake itself - baby mice, newborn rats for small ones, mice, rats, mastomus, gerbils, Guinea pigs for large individuals.

Thanks to its frequent mention in adventure stories and its very beautiful pattern, which can vary significantly, the boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) is one of the most famous snakes in the whole world. Its other names such as " sacred snake"or "snake of the gods", are associated with the cults of the indigenous people of South America and Africa. Although there is a lot of talk about the common boa constrictor terrible legends, V South America it has never been considered a source of danger to humans.

HABITAT OF THE COMMON BOA

The common boa constrictor is native to the region located between Southern Mexico and Argentina, as well as the Lesser Antilles. It prefers to be found on the ground near bodies of water in arid areas, open forests, savanna-like forests and dense bushes.

The common boa constrictor is a cold-blooded animal, that is, it expends extremely little energy for its metabolism, since it does not need to constantly maintain body temperature; Moreover, it depends on temperature environment. The length of its body is significantly greater in relation to its volume. Therefore, when stretched out, they can heat up very quickly, receiving thermal energy. A snake can compensate for heat loss by curling up into a ball, thereby reducing its surface area. The shape of the hose also gives snakes other advantages: it helps with escape, for example, since the animals can hide in narrow crevices.

SMALL HEAD AND BIG BOOTY

The shape of the head has a major drawback: the animals' mouths are very small compared to the amount of food required. To compensate, snakes have extremely extensible and flexible jaws, allowing them to catch and swallow prey that is huge in comparison to their body size. The food requirement of common boas, whose length can be over 4 m, is very high. They feed exclusively on vertebrates, their largest prey being boar-like peccaries and Patagonian maras. In order to swallow such prey, they can separate the upper and lower jaws. In addition, the halves of the lower jaw do not fuse firmly with one another, but are connected by a very elastic ligament. The bones of the skull are reduced to a minimum, and the trachea is mobile enough to allow animals to breathe during meals, which sometimes last for hours.

After a meal, the common boa constrictor takes a pause that sometimes lasts a whole week, during which it tries to move as little as possible. The digestion process takes place, the next meal will be required only in a few weeks or months. The common boa constrictor begins hunting at nightfall. In order to catch prey even in complete darkness, it has a special heat-sensitive organ that detects thermal radiation. This allows the boa constrictor to accurately sense temperature differences and distinguish potential prey from the environment. Unlike other snakes, boas do not lay eggs, but give birth to live young. The female produces up to 60 eggs in her body, which remain in the womb until the small snakes hatch. Young animals 20-50 cm long immediately become independent.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF

Common boa constrictor ( Boa constrictor)

Reptile class.
Squad Scaly.
Family of constrictor snakes.
Distribution: South to .
Length: over 4 m.
Weight: up to 60 kg.
Diet: birds, lizards, mammals.
Duration of pregnancy: 5-7 months.
Number of cubs: up to 60.
Life expectancy: no information.

Close relative The Central Asian hamster, unfortunately, can be very rarely found in Central Europe. Despite this, the common hamster...

Common imperial boa constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator) - non-venomous snake, belonging to the subfamily of boas and the family of pseudopods. The non-aggressive and non-venomous snake is quite easy to keep, so it is very popular not only among experienced reptile connoisseurs, but also among beginners.

Appearance and description

The imperial boa constrictor is not too large in size, but has a fairly strong and muscular body. IN natural conditions imperial boas reach a length of five meters. Despite its powerful body, the boa constrictor has a rather elegant head.

This is interesting! At home, such a reptile has a more modest size, and the body length, as a rule, does not exceed a couple of meters.

The imperial boa constrictor is most often characterized by an attractive light color and a large, well-defined pattern of red and brown spots, but some individuals have a beige, light brown, brown or almost black body color.

Range and habitats

The main habitat of the imperial boa constrictor is very wide. The snake is distributed from Argentina to Mexico. The large territory allowed nature to obtain simply a huge variety of biotopes adapted to different external conditions climate and environment.

A boa constrictor of this species prefers to live in forests and open areas, in mountainous areas and woodlands overgrown with low-growing bushes. The imperial boa constrictor itself is a fairly ecologically flexible species, so this reptile can lead both a terrestrial and semi-arboreal lifestyle.

Buying an imperial boa constrictor, price

There are no fundamental differences in the size and coloring of the body between males and females, so it will be quite difficult for non-professionals to choose a snake of the desired gender.

In this case, you need to pay attention that the male’s tail is longer and has a characteristic thickening at the base, turning into a cone. Females have a shorter and straighter tail. Among other things, the female is usually more massive and larger than the male.

Important! It is best to purchase an imperial boa constrictor in pet stores that specialize in selling exotic pets and reptiles. The boa constrictor must be completely healthy, quite active and well-fed.

The cost of such an exotic pet varies greatly depending on many factors, including rarity of color, age, size and sex. For example, average cost An imperial boa constrictor from Costa Rica, which is one of the smallest representatives of this species, is about 6.5-7.5 thousand rubles. The cost of rare copies easily reaches two tens of thousands of rubles.

The Imperial Boa Constrictor (Boa Constrictor Imperator) is very popular among terrarium hobbyists as a pet. The domestic imperial boa constrictor is an ideal reptile for keeping in urban environments: they have a calm disposition, bright color and suitable sizes. Even a beginner can start it.

What does an imperial boa constrictor look like?

These snakes have a strong, muscular body and an elegant head. The size of the imperial boa in nature is 5 meters, bred for home care are no more than 2 meters long. The morphs of the imperial boa constrictor are varied. The most common color is light brown, the back is reddish or coffee-colored with yellow spots. On the sides there are dark diamond-shaped spots with light rims.

Imperial boa morphs

Color varies from white to black, with and without patterns. The most common morph is the Colombian, the color is called “normal” - this is a color close to natural. The color of the boa constrictor ranges from light sand to brown-orange with spots of dark, sometimes black color. On the tail - in the form of red ovals with a very dark outline.

Photos of the imperial boa constrictor clearly demonstrate the colors. The most common one is called Salmon. The boa constrictor is light with red tints. Super salmon has a more saturated color. These snakes do not have black pigmentation. Super salmon are born when two salmon are crossed with a probability of 1 in 4.

Albinos are also common. They are called amelanists. By type they are distinguished into Kahl Albino, Sharp Albino and Albino T-plus. They differ from normals in the absence of dark spots in their color. They are characterized by a red-yellow color with white zones and red eyes. Young snakes are brightly colored, but fade with age. However, the drawing remains.

When a normal and an albino are mated, the offspring in the first generation are obtained only with the color of the normal. But the cubs are carriers of the albino gene, they pass it on to inheritance. In 25% of cases, the offspring will be albinos. Crossing a normal born from an albino with an albino gives a 50% chance of producing an albino.

The offspring obtained from salmon and albino are white with bright spots. This breed of boa constrictor is called Sunglow. It is obtained by crossing several generations of snakes, and the price of the imperial Sanglo boa is higher than the natural color. There are three varieties of Sanglo: Kahl, Sharp and T-plus.

Localities of imperial boas

These reptiles are found almost everywhere - from Mexico to Argentina. They live in waters with different biotopes, that is, they are adapted to different conditions. Habitat: forests and clearings, mountainous areas, presence of reservoirs.

An adult imperial boa constrictor should live in a spacious horizontal terrarium. There should be a pool there, there should be branches in it. A suitable terrarium for an imperial boa constrictor is 100x50x50 cm. You should focus on the length of an adult reptile; the minimum length of the terrarium is half the length of the boa constrictor. The width of the “house” can be twice as narrow.

You need to place a regular incandescent lamp in the corner of the terrarium - in one part the temperature will be about 33°C, in the other - room temperature. Boas feel comfortable during the day at 25-32°C, in the dark - at 20-22°C. They love cool weather because in nature they live in the lower tier of forests.

The soil, walls of the terrarium and accessories must be regularly sprayed with water. The boa constrictor should have a bathtub in which it can bathe and fit completely. The level of humidity is especially important during the molting period. Shelves and branches are an integral part of the terrarium - boa constrictors love to crawl. The soil is sawdust covered with mulch. You can use paper.

A container of 60 cm by 40 cm is suitable for a young individual (up to 1 meter long). As they grow older, the terrarium is increased.

Feeding the imperial boa constrictor

The reptile is not picky about food. The imperial boa constrictor can be fed with mice and small birds. Thawed food is suitable. It is important to feed small boas correctly so that they develop correctly. digestive system. Do not overfeed or give large pieces, warm and cold food.

Reproduction of imperial boas

Breeding boas in captivity is not so easy. The mating period is February-March. In order for offspring to appear, the temperature in the terrarium is reduced to 18°C, and daylight hours are set to no more than 6-8 hours. To mate, the female must be placed alternately with all the males. During courtship, they stimulate her with “spurs”, sometimes the female’s skin is injured.

You can tell that a female is pregnant by her behavior: she begins to warm up more, rolls over on her back and sides, in the first months she begins to eat more, and in last days refuses food. The back of the body visually increases, but not always, especially if this is the first pregnancy. If pregnancy has occurred, the males must be removed from the terrarium and the snags must be removed so that the snake does not accidentally fall while crawling over them.

The imperial boa constrictor is a viviparous reptile. The gestation period lasts from 5 to 7 months. Cubs are born in a thin shell - they tear it themselves as soon as they are born. The process must be monitored to help the snakes break the shell if they are unable to do it on their own.

The number of babies of the imperial boa varies from 15 to 64. Their length is about 50 cm. In captivity, they grow in 2 years to a length of about 3 meters. At 2 years old, the boa constrictor becomes sexually mature.

How long do imperial boas live?

In captivity, on average, these reptiles live about 10-12 years. With ideal care - up to 23 years.

How much does it cost to buy an imperial boa constrictor?

The price depends on the color of the reptile, size, age and gender. For example, individuals from Costa Rica - the smallest representatives of the breed - cost between 6500-7500 rubles. Rare copies will cost about 20,000 rubles. It is better to buy a snake at a pet store that specializes in exotic animals. A healthy reptile is active and looks well-fed.

Precautions when keeping boa constrictors

The imperial boa constrictor is a non-venomous snake. But due to its size, its contents should be approached with all responsibility. The content rules that must be strictly followed are as follows:

• It is forbidden to release the snake from the terrarium and pick it up while alone in the room. You can pick up a boa constrictor only in the presence of a second person;
• you should not approach a boa constrictor if your clothes and skin smell of food;
• Do not let the boa constrictor out of the terrarium if there is a large number of strangers to him.

The imperial boa constrictor is, in principle, a harmless and safe creature for humans. But the terrarium must be securely closed so that it does not crawl away. The reptile is huge in size and has a large body mass - it should not have free access to helpless family members and pets.

And if you are choosing your first snake for keeping at home, pay attention to, it is this reptile that is recommended to get as your first snake.

The undisputed favorite among large snakes, kept in terrariums, was and remains an ordinary boa constrictor. Its elegant coloring, calm disposition with an impressive appearance and unpretentiousness have become the reason for its wild popularity among snake lovers.

They are truly handsome: an exquisite and intricate pattern on shiny skin with a faint iridescent tint, a small chiseled head, a rather slender and surprisingly proportional physique.

Such a bright, eye-catching color turns out to be very appropriate in natural environment, hiding a snake among the interweaving of branches and a mosaic of leaves tropical forest. Most often found in terrariums are representatives of the subspecies from Central America, which is called the imperial boa constrictor. The rarer and more expensive red-tailed boas from the Orinoco basin are the subject of dreams for many lovers.

Common boa constrictors require a spacious terrarium, decorated with thick branches for climbing, with a large pond. In captivity, they usually do not grow longer than 3 meters, so their housing fits well into the usual environment of a city apartment. Various rodents and birds serve as food, and unlike pythons, food items should not be too large. Common boas breed easily in captivity, and for this they do not require external stimulation, such as wintering or changing the light regime. What’s especially nice is that they are viviparous. The young do not suffer from lack of appetite, although at first they do not grow very quickly, which may not be a bad thing.

The equanimity and peacefulness of these snakes makes them very pleasant to communicate with, and their undemanding conditions allow even terrarium keepers with minimal experience to keep them.