Boa Constrictor

The Boa constrictor is a species of large, heavy-bodied snake. It is a member of the family Boidae found in North, Central, and South America, as well as some islands in the Caribbean. It grows up to 14ft in length, and can unhinge its jaw to swallow large prey like wild hogs and small monkeys in the wild. They commonly weight 22 to 33 lbs when full grown. There are ten subspecies of the Boa, varying in location, size, and coloration.

Using information from nationalzoo.si.edu, I have found the proper diet for a boa constrictor. Boas can eat and will eat anything they can catch and fit in their mouth. For a domesticated Boa one large rodent, small bird, or large lizard should be fed every 5-7 days while young, then every 10-14 days once the snake has reached 3-4 feet.

This diet contains about 20 of protein, 10 grams of fat, 1 gram of calcium, and .5 grams of phosphorus per 100 grams as fed. Another diet synonymous with that of a Boa is a Burmese python, or really any captive large snake breed. Interchanging these diets is safe for the animal because the nutrient requirements and feed are the same.

This diet is sustainable and a good diet for this snake. Adding more or less food (changing sizeof animal fed) should depend on your snake's body condition and age. Remember over feeding can lead to a shorter lifespan, so avoid giving more food than recommended for your sized snake. The nutrient composition of this diet matches what Boas eat in the wild and what they need in order to stay healthy. This high protein diet can be compared to other domesticated animals, such as cats, which are also carnivores. The snake's diet varies from a cat's in that it has slightly less protein requirements than a cat. Snakes are slow moving and do not burn as many calories as a cat, requiring less feed, and only 20% protein rather than the 30% cats need.