Although still fairly docile, these snakes are a lot harder to handle because they wiggle a lot more.īaby boa snakes are fine to house in a glass aquarium, but you’ll have to change it to a custom tank as they grow larger. They might also burrow themselves into their substrate. Even though they are good swimmers, they would rather spend time on dry land or hanging in a tree. They are also nocturnal, although they do come out occasionally during the day to sun themselves. Personalityīoa constrictors are solitary animals and enjoy keeping to themselves as much as possible. Once out, the young are left to fend for themselves. The snake eggs hatch while still inside the mother, who then gives birth to live babies. The boa females hold their eggs inside their bodies, where they also incubate them. Unlike pythons, boas are ovoviviparous, meaning that they do not lay eggs. Wild boas eat birds, pigs, and even monkeys when they’re lucky enough to catch one. They also eat nearly anything put in front of them. However, their teeth are hooked to help them latch onto their prey while they squeeze them.

These snakes have smaller heads with fewer teeth and bones inside. They aren’t aggressive towards their handlers, but they are a lot more likely to defend themselves when they feel threatened as opposed to shying away from a fight. They can be red, tan, green, yellow, or have patterns with jagged lines, diamonds, and circles.īoas are a lot more active than pythons. These snakes are close cousins to anacondas and are excellent swimmers, even though they prefer to stay dry when they can. They make excellent pets because they aren’t aggressive and don’t wiggle around too much when holding them.īoa Overview Image Credit: Sean Blasko, ShutterstockĮven though a boa constrictor is usually smaller than many other python species, they tend to grow much larger when in captivity. Pythons prefer to spend their days in a docile state and shying away from too much commotion. Pythons are a little more afraid of confrontation than boa constrictors. This categorizes pythons as oviparous snakes. To reproduce, pythons must lay eggs and lay on them to incubate them until they are ready to hatch. Pythons also have the ability to sense heat using pits along their lips to detect even the tiniest differences when hunting warm-blooded prey. Even though most snakes only have one lung, both pythons and boas have two.

Pythons have more bones in their head and a pair of upper jaw bones containing teeth. One of the biggest differences between pythons and boas is their anatomy. Some pythons have elaborate patterns, and others are solid colors like brown or bright green. The size and coloration of these snakes can vary depending on their natural habitats. The python family contains some of the biggest snakes in the world, topping out at over 33 feet long. Although pythons are similar to boas in that they constrict their bodies around their prey to kill them, they are two different species with distinctive characteristics. The name python refers to both the Pythonidae family and the Python genus. Pythons are considered animals from the Old World.

Their lifespan in the wild is about ten years.Python Overview Image Credit: Jodi Erickso, ShutterstockĪlthough the idea of a large snake scares quite a few people, there are a few who don’t shy away from these unique animals. 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.

Python vs boa constrictor wikipedia