Friday Free-Style Trivia: The Boa Constrictor

What it do, Missians?

Thanks for checking out another pet post from your favorite animal people, here at The Missy Show.  We're still your premiere source for fun and informative pet topics.  Before we get into today's Animal Trivia, I just wanted to let you guys know that I now have my Girl October blog back up and running; and am currently still working on the website.  If you guys want to check out any of my new posts over there, click here:

http://thegirloctober.blogspot.com/

Okay, today's Animal Trivia covers the mysterious Boa Constrictor.  Let's test your knowledge to see just how much you know about this beast...and speaking of beasts, more May Mythical Beasts coming for next week.  You seemed to really enjoy the unicorn one--so more to come.  Now back to Boas.  Today's Boa Constrictor facts are provided courtesy of softschools.com:

http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/boa_constrictor_facts/452/

Boa constrictor Facts

Boa constrictor is a close relative of anaconda. It can be found in South and Central America. Boa constrictor lives in variety of habitats: deserts, tropical rainforests, savannas and areas near human settlements. It can also survive at different altitudes. Boa constrictor is known as one of the most beautiful snakes because of its colorful skin with interesting prints. High demand for boa's skin in the past resulted in reduced number of boas in the wild. They are placed on the list of endangered animals today.

Interesting Boa constrictor Facts:
*Boa constrictor is a large snake. It grows throughout entire life. Boa is 2 feet long at birth, but it can grow to the length of 10-13 feet. Boa weighs more than 100 pounds.
*Body of boa constrictor can be tan, yellow, red, pinkish or green in color. It is covered with lines, circles, diamond-like or oval shapes. Color and body prints depend on the habitat (they provide camouflage).
*Boa constrictor has hooked teeth. They are not used for chewing. Teeth are used for catching of the prey.
*Boa constrictor has heat receptors that are used for detection of the warm-blooded prey. Other than that, boa uses taste of smell to find its victim. Taste of smell is located on tongue.
*Boa constrictor is nocturnal animal (active during the night).
*Boa constrictor can easily climb the tree. It spends part of its life in dense treetops. Boa is also excellent swimmer, but it does not prefer life in the water.
*Boa constrictor is mostly terrestrial animal (lives on the ground). It moves slowly, at the speed of only 1 mile per hour.
*Boa constrictor is a carnivore (meat-eater). While they are young, boa constrictors eat smaller prey, like rats, mice and squirrels. When they reach adult size, they start to hunt and eat larger prey, such as monkeys, wild boars and deer.
*Since boa is excellent hunter, indigenous people of South America use boa to eradicate pest, such as rodents.
*Boa constrictor is an ambush predator (it hunts the prey using the factor of surprise). After catching of the prey using the teeth, boa envelops the victim and squeezes the life out of it. It swallows the prey in one piece.
*Boa constrictor is a solitary creature.
*Mating season lasts from April to August. When female is ready for mating, she releases specific odor to inform nearby males. Before mating, group of males wrestle to determine which one is the most dominant. Winner gets opportunity to mate.
*Female gives birth to live babies. She can deliver up to 60 babies at a time.
*Young boa constrictors are born with instinct to hunt. They are left on their own from the moment of birth.
*Boa constrictor can survive from 20 to 30 years in the wild. Hope you enjoyed these quick Boa Constrictor Facts.  Be sure to check back on Monday for another Missy Show blog post, and to check out next Saturday's episode about animals in the Chinese new year. Until Monday, This is your host J, signing off..................

Boa Constrictor (Wikimedia Commons)