
''Boa constrictor'' is a species of large, heavy-bodied snake. It is a member of the family Boidae found in North, Central, and South America, as well as some islands in the Caribbean.
Similar species: Snakes And Lizards
By Tony Rath
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Uploaded Oct 21, 2011. Captured Oct 21, 2011 14:25.
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"Boa constrictors are non-venomous snakes that are famous for their method of subduing prey: squeezing it to death. They are powerful, stealthy ambush hunters that live in various habitats in the warmer climates of the Americas. The world is an intense sensory experience for these snakes. To locate prey, boas rely on their strong olfactory senses. They constantly flick their tongues, which bring odor molecules in contact with a chemosensory organ in their mouths. Plus, they have good vision and are very sensitive to vibrations. They utterly depend on the sensory information they gather to perceive the world. As fascinating as their heightened senses are, their method of killing prey is equally intriguing and is enough to make a bystander gasp for breath. As their name implies, they constrict, or squeeze, their prey to death. They squeeze so hard that within 30 seconds, the arterial pressure of their prey begins to plummet, blood flow stops, the brain fails, and the animal passes out. The boas then stretch out their jaws to swallow the victim whole. But, there is no reason for humans to fear these beautiful snakes since they are not venomous, and people - even children, are too big for a boa to swallow. Phew! {Spotted in Belize by JungleDragon user, Tony Rath} #JungleDragon" Posted 6 years ago