Red Tailed Boa

Boas are a primitive order of snake, which bear vestiges of limbs, perhaps illustrating the truth of what some scientists say that boas are descendants of burrowing lizards.

The Red Tailed Boa is only one subspecies of a larger group of snakes known as Boas.
Boas live primarily in trees in the wild, and will sun themselves.

They will eat live prey, constricting before swallowing it whole
They do not need to eat every day, but can wait upwards of a week between meals.

Red Tailed Boa

Boa Constrictors can reach lengths of up to twelve feet, and weight about 20 pounds, depending on whether or not they are male or female.

Females are the larger of the two animals, with the largest one ever recorded in captivity reaching nearly 15 feet in length.

Boas have beautiful coloration and markings that are reminiscent of saddles of horses.
They are red brown, or rust color, although the lighter background can go from white, pink or even grey or brown.

Boa constrictors are one of the few snakes which do not lay eggs, but instead give birth to live young, and can have anywhere from ten to fifty at one time.

During mating the male boa will hold the female with a small set of what are called spurs that are hidden beneath the scales. These are the remnants of the legs that are discussed earlier.

Boas gestation is about 100 days. Female boas will shed immediately after ovulation, and the count begins from then.

Boas are actually well adaptable to being captive, and will become very easily handled and even friendly when kept as pets, although they are not recommended as such.

Many are part of children’s zoos when they are smaller, teaching children to be less fearful of snakes in general.

Boas will live extended periods of time, generally 30 years but some for as long as forty years when kept as pets, which makes them an extremely long term commitment for a pet owner.