Dumerils Boa

Range: Madagascar

Habitat: Forested regions to light farming areas.

Natural Diet: Small mammals & birds.

Diet at RainForest: Pre-killed rodents.

Size: 4-6 feet, females tend to be slightly larger than males. A terrestrial animal, the Dumerils boa hunts primarily on the ground. The Dumerils boa gives birth to live babies, an average size litter is 4-6 large young.

Rainforest Facts: Madagascar is home to several species of Boa's that are found no where else on earth. The Ground Boa is a heavy bodied animal with a very low reproductive rate. The large nature of the females and low quantity of babies results in very large offspring relative to the size of the female.

All Pythons are constrictors. Snakes that hunt using constriction as a means of subduing prey will very quickly grab their prey with their teeth using a very fast strike. The constrictor will quickly wrap coils of their bodies around the prey and squeeze or constrict the prey item. This process does not actually crush the prey and break its bones as is widely reported in the media. Instead, they squeeze tightly so that the prey animal can’t breath and it suffocates, this process usually requires about 3-4 minutes for the prey animal to be killed.

Once the snake is certain the prey item is dead they then begin to search for the animals head, virtually all prey animals are consumed head first. This process allows the snake to literally "fold" the arms and legs of the prey animal back as the creature is swallowed. Contrary to popular belief a snake does not "unhinge" it's jaws, the jaws in fact are not actually attached in a mechanical way. Long tendons and muscles connect the upper and lower jaws. The lower jaw is actually made up of two separate bones to further enhance the animals ability to manipulate large prey items.

Once the snake has the animal past it's jaws a series rhythmic muscular contractions then pull the prey down the snake’s throat and into its stomach. A very large prey item can be observed in the snakes stomach as a large bulge. Contrary to popular belief the large prey item is not digested by slowing moving down the length of the snake.

Once the prey animal reaches the stomach, usually about 20 minutes for a very large item, the food item is stationary in the snakes stomach as it is gradually digested. The size of the meal can have an impact on the duration of the digestion, but external factors such as ambient air temperature play a larger roll. The snake must be careful not to eat when temperatures are too cool, the meal will quite literally decompose faster than the snake can digest it, causing a gaseous bloating in the snake that can result in death. Ideal air temperatures allow the snake to digest the meal prior to the food item decomposing! Snakes often will regurgitate a meal when the conditions do not allow it to properly digest the meal, this can include both temperatures that are too high and too low!

Status in Wild: As with the majority of Madagascar's wildlife, all of the species of Boas on Madagascar are in ever increasing peril. Loss of habitat is a major concern for this species, large numbers of this animal are being bred in captivity for the pet market, virtually ensuring that the animal will never become extinct, wild populations are another matter.

Amazon Tree Boa

Range: Amazon Basin

Habitat: Strictly arboreal in nature, found in dense forest.

Natural Diet: Small mammals & birds, occasional lizard.

Diet at RainForest: Pre-killed rodents of various size based on the size of the snake.

Size: 4-6 feet, a very thinly built Boa, this animal rarely exceeds 5 feet. Coloration of this snake is highly variable.

RainForest Facts: This boa spends the vast majority of its time living in the mid level canopy of the rain forest. Hunting primarily at night, this nocturnal predator is an efficient hunter of both birds and small mammals. Live babies are born each year to the female boa. An average size litter is 5-8 young. The babies are aggressive feeders.

All Pythons are constrictors. Snakes that hunt using constriction as a means of subduing prey will very quickly grab their prey with their teeth using a very fast strike. The constrictor will quickly wrap coils of their bodies around the prey and squeeze or constrict the prey item. This process does not actually crush the prey and break its bones as is widely reported in the media. Instead, they squeeze tightly so that the prey animal can’t breath and it suffocates, this process usually requires about 3-4 minutes for the prey animal to be killed.

Once the snake is certain the prey item is dead they then begin to search for the animals head, virtually all prey animals are consumed head first. This process allows the snake to literally "fold" the arms and legs of the prey animal back as the creature is swallowed. Contrary to popular belief, a snake does not "unhinge" it's jaws, the jaws in fact are not actually attached in a mechanical way. Long tendons and muscles connect the upper and lower jaws. The lower jaw is actually made up of two separate bones to further enhance the animals ability to manipulate large prey items. Once the snake has the animal past it's jaws a series rhythmic muscular contractions then pull the prey down the snake’s throat and into its stomach. A very large prey item can be observed in the snakes stomach as a large bulge. Contrary to popular belief the large prey item is not digested by slowing moving down the length of the snake. Once the prey animal reaches the stomach, usually about 20 minutes for a very large item, the food item is stationary in the snakes stomach as it is gradually digested. The size of the meal can have an impact on the duration of the digestion, but external factors such as ambient air temperature play a larger roll. The snake must be careful not to eat when temperatures are too cool, the meal will quite literally decompose faster than the snake can digest it, causing a gaseous bloating in the snake that can result in death. Ideal air temperatures allow the snake to digest the meal prior to the food item decomposing! Snakes often will regurgitate a meal when the conditions do not allow it to properly digest the meal, this can include both temperatures that are too high and too low!

Status in Wild: Stable in majority of undisturbed forest, habitat loss is putting pressure on certain populations.

Cuban Boa

Range: Cuba

Habitat: Largest snake on the island of Cuba, has a tendency to be arboreal but can be found living in the tall grasses of open lands.

Natural Diet: Small mammals, birds and bats. This snake has developed a strong ability to hunt bats as they exit the mouth of caves in the early evening hours.

Diet at RainForest: Chicken and pre-killed rodents.

Size: Up to 12 feet in length. More heavy bodied than most arboreal boas.

Keeper Notes: The longest of all arboreal Boas, the Cuban Boa has extremely well developed heat sensing pits located on the lower jaw. The Cuban Boa gives birth to live babies, typically a small litter, the average number born to a female boa is 4-6 young. The babies are remarkably well developed and may be as much as 20" long at birth. Feisty little nippers the babies soon settle down and allow the keepers to maintain their exhibit without too much fuss. 4 babies were born at RainForest Adventures on 11/5/05.

All Pythons are constrictors. Snakes that hunt using constriction as a means of subduing prey will very quickly grab their prey with their teeth using a very fast strike. The constrictor will quickly wrap coils of their bodies around the prey and squeeze or constrict the prey item.

This process does not actually crush the prey and break its bones as is widely reported in the media. Instead, they squeeze tightly so that the prey animal can’t breath and it suffocates, this process usually requires about 3-4 minutes for the prey animal to be killed.

Once the snake is certain the prey item is dead they then begin to search for the animals head, virtually all prey animals are consumed head first. This process allows the snake to literally "fold" the arms and legs of the prey animal back as the creature is swallowed. Contrary to popular belief a snake does not "unhinge" it's jaws, the jaws in fact are not actually attached in a mechanical way. Long tendons and muscles connect the upper and lower jaws. The lower jaw is actually made up of two separate bones to further enhance the animals ability to manipulate large prey items.

Once the snake has the animal past it's jaws a series rhythmic muscular contractions then pull the prey down the snake’s throat and into its stomachA very large prey item can be observed in the snakes stomach as a large bulge. Contrary to popular belief the large prey item is not digested by slowing moving down the length of the snake. Once the prey animal reaches the stomach, usually about 20 minutes for a very large item, the food item is stationary in the snakes stomach as it is gradually digested. The size of the meal can have an impact on the duration of the digestion, but external factors such as ambient air temperature play a larger roll. The snake must be careful not to eat when temperatures are too cool, the meal will quite literally decompose faster than the snake can digest it, causing a gaseous bloating in the snake that can result in death. Ideal air temperatures allow the snake to digest the meal prior to the food item decomposing! Snakes often will regurgitate a meal when the conditions do not allow it to properly digest the meal, this can include both temperatures that are too high and too low!

Status in Wild: Extremely vulnerable, as with many insular species limited geographical range coupled with the normal pressures of deforestation place the animal in extreme risk.

Red Tail Rat

Range: Asia

Habitat: Strictly arboreal, dense forests

Natural Diet: Small mammals & birds, occasionally eats lizards.

Diet at RainForest: Small pre-killed rodents.

Size: 48-78" thin bodied snake.

Status in Wild: Vulnerable to habitat loss

RainForest Facts: This long, thin, arboreal snake rarely descends from the trees. Feeding primarily on small birds and an occasional rodent this stealthy predator will also consume lizards from time to time. The bright coloration on the tail is used as a caudal lure.Caudal luring is used by several species of snakes including young copperheads in the United States. When an unsuspecting bird approaches what it believes is a small red worm or caterpillar slowly wriggling around, the head of the snake is closely poised to deliver a rapid, deadly strike.

Close up of Red Tail Rat Snake head showing details of scales and round pupil.

Milk Snake

Range: Americas, Southern North American and Northern Central America

Habitat: Widely varied by species

Natural Diet: Snakes, small rodents, lizards.

Diet at RainForest: Small pre-killed rodents

Size: 24-40", very thin bodied snake

RainForest Facts: An egg laying snake, the Milk snake typically lays 4-6 highly elliptical eggs in late spring to early summer (depending on location). 60-75 days is the normal incubation period for the eggs, the small babies feed primarily on small lizards and new born rodents.

In the majority of it's range the Milk Snake will spend several winter months in a state of hibernation. The further north in the animals range the snake is found the longer the period of hibernation. The Milk Snake will stop feeding several weeks prior to the onset of late fall and will seek shelter in a suitable place such as the rotted stump of a large tree.

In the extreme southern portions of the Milk Snakes range, the animal will emerge periodically on warm days to enjoy the warmth of the sun and return to it's hibernaculum.

Status in Wild: Numbers are stable in most parts of range, loss of habitat represents one of the greatest risks to the species. Feral cats take an unusually high number of these defenseless snakes. Humans kill an unusually high number of these shy snakes as they are often mistaken for the Coral Snake.