Common boa care skin#

The average lifespan for a Colombian red tail boa is 20 to 30 years in captivity. LifespanĬolombian red tail boas aren’t just big. Males will usually stop growing after they reach 6 to 8 feet. A female Colombian red tail boa can grow to be between 7 and 10 feet long. As for weight, adults will tip the scales at around 60 pounds.Įxpert Tip: Females will grow to be bigger than males in terms of length and girth. The largest boa constrictor ever recorded was over 18 feet! While rare, measurements over the average do occur. As you can tell, these snakes can get quite large! The typical Colombian red tail boa size is between 6 and 10 feet in length when kept in captivity (sometimes even longer). However, you’re more likely to find natural coloration due to the snake’s frequent importation. Morphs are quite common in captivity thanks to selective breeding. You might encounter some unique morphs as well, such as albino snakes.

But in the Colombian red tail boa, the coloration is noticeably redder than any other snake in the boidae family. More vivid tail coloration is common in all boa constrictor subspecies. The saddles run the length of the snake and become more intense towards the tail. Accompanying the base color are darker patches of brown and black. But generally, you can expect to see a base color of brown, tan, or gray. Several stripes run dorsally and laterally on the face to create the snake’s naturally intimidating looks.Ĭolor can vary a bit based on where the snake comes from. They are relatively large snakes with a girthy and muscular build. The Colombian red tail boa has all the signature traits of a standard boa.

Though, they can also inhabit rainforests and arid environments in South and Central America. While it looks similar to the standard boa at face value, its iconic red tail becomes apparent with closer observation.Īs you can guess from the snake’s common trade name, these creatures are most-often found throughout Colombia. Semantics aside, this particular type of pet snake is hugely popular in herpetology circles. Rather it’s one of nine boa constrictor subspecies.Įxpert Tip: Interestingly enough, there are also separate varieties within the subspecies based on locality. Technically speaking, the Colombian red tail is not its own species.

Common boa care skin#

Hunted for their fine, ornate skin and for sale in the exotic pet trade, some boa constrictors have protected status in their range.A favorite among collectors, the Colombian red tail boa ( Boa constrictor imperator) is a beautiful snake with some distinct physical features. The largest boa constrictor ever found measured 18 feet. Boas are about 2 feet long when they are born and grow continually throughout their 25 to 30-year lifespan. Reproduction and Conservationįemale boas incubate eggs inside their bodies and give birth up to 60 live babies.

Their jaws can stretch wide to swallow large prey whole. Boas will eat almost anything they can catch, including birds, monkeys, and wild pigs. Their jaws are lined with small, hooked teeth for grabbing and holding prey while they wrap their muscular bodies around their victim, squeezing until it suffocates. Significantly smaller than anacondas, boas can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh more than 100 pounds. Like their anaconda cousins, they are excellent swimmers, but prefer to stay on dry land, living primarily in hollow logs and abandoned mammal burrows.

Behaviorīoas are nonvenomous constrictors found in tropical Central and South America. Depending on the habitat they are trying to blend into, their bodies can be tan, green, red, or yellow, and display cryptic patterns of jagged lines, ovals, diamonds, and circles. Boa constrictors wear some of the most distinctive markings of all reptiles.