Whatever you use, it should be of appropriate size and escapeproof. Plastic shoeboxes of various sizes, glass aquariums and custom-built wooden habitats all suffice. I have kept them in many types of enclosures over the years. Caging Particularsīrazilian rainbow boas thrive in captivity and make excellent pets as long as their requirements are met. The author’s Brazilian rainbow boa enclosures in this photo each measure 36 inches long by 24 inches wide by 21 inches tall. Once such an area is found, they patiently wait for their next meal. Rather than actively hunting down their prey, they probably seek out high-rodent-traffic areas. Once they have found a suitable location, they assume a sit-and-wait position with their heads extended from their shelters. They may be found searching for a drink or for a new daytime hiding spot. They don’t possess any pattern on their ventral surface because it is never exposed and therefore doesn’t need to blend in.īrazilian rainbow boas are nocturnal, and they often become active an hour or two after sundown. This busy pattern and bold coloration serve to break up the outline of their bodies as they camouflage themselves among debris on the forest floor. These markings contrast their stark-white ventral surfaces, and they are further enhanced by the iridescence radiating from their scales, which reflect hues of blue, green and purple thanks to chemicals called “purines” located in cells of the epidermis. Usually three distinct black stripes run along their heads, and black circles containing yellow to orange to fiery-red crescent-shaped markings run along each side of the animal’s body from head to tail. Their color ranges from orange to deep-red with orange to red saddles running down their backs. They never get so big that one person can’t handle them alone. They are impressive animals but not giant snakes. Large females can grow to 6 to 7 feet and weigh up to 9 pounds. Humidity is fairly constant at 60 to 70 percent.īrazilian rainbows are a popular subspecies because of their outstanding appearance. A steady temperature between 73 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit is expected year round, and annual rainfall varies from 58.5 to 136.5 inches depending on the particular location. They inhabit tropical and subtropical broad-leaved forests described as hot and wet. Its natural range includes the Amazon River Basin from Peru and Brazil to Colombia and northeast to Suriname. cenchria cenchria) is the most commonly kept subspecies in captivity. Nine recognized subspecies of Epicrates cenchria are found from southern Mexico through Central America and throughout most of South America. Their lifespan in the wild is about ten years.Outlined in black, saddles contain yellow to orange to fiery-red crescent-shaped markings. Baby snakes are about 2 feet long when they are born and are almost immediately able to swim and hunt. Reproductionįemale anacondas retain their eggs and give birth to two to three dozen live young. Jaws attached by stretchy ligaments allow them to swallow their prey whole, no matter the size, and they can go weeks or months without food after a big meal. Anacondas are nonvenomous constrictors, coiling their muscular bodies around captured prey and squeezing until the animal asphyxiates. They reach their monumental size on a diet of wild pigs, deer, birds, turtles, capybara, caimans, and even jaguars. Their eyes and nasal openings are on top of their heads, allowing them to lay in wait for prey while remaining nearly completely submerged. They are cumbersome on land, but stealthy and sleek in the water. On Land and in WaterĪnacondas live in swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams, mainly in the tropical rain forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Other anaconda species, all from South America and all smaller than the green anaconda, are the yellow, dark-spotted, and Bolivian varieties. Females are significantly larger than males. Green anacondas can grow to more than 29 feet, weigh more than 550 pounds, and measure more than 12 inches in diameter. Learn how they maintain their massive size. The semiaquatic snakes weigh as much as 550 pounds, and can be as long as a school bus.
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