Dumeril's Ground Boa
Acrantophis dumerili
-Belong to the family Boidae, containing the world's largest snake species including pythons, boas, and anacondas
-Endemic to the drier parts of Madagascar (southern and southwestern savannas and forests) where they use their patterns to camouflage against the leaf litter on the forest floor
-Typically reach lengths of 4-5 feet, sometimes up to 7 feet, with females being larger than males
-Typically live 20-30 years
-Lacking the heat-sensitive facial pits present in many other boas, these snakes ambush attack small mammals and birds
-Like other boas, Dumeril's boas can lay virtually motionless for long periods of time, waiting for unsuspecting prey to pass.
-When the prey is within reach, the boa strikes out in a single explosive motion, using its many recurved teeth to grab hold of the prey, and quickly wrap it up in the coils of its muscular body. The prey, unable to breathe, is then swallowed whole by the boa.
-The name for Dumeril's boa in Malagash, the native language of Madagascar, is "do," pronounced like "dough!"
-Adults are "cathemeral", meaning they are active intermittently throughout the day and night (unlike the nocturnal juveniles, which are active only during the night)
-Offspring: These snakes are viviparous, producing litters of 6-13 relatively large young snakes, which are independent at birth
HERE AT ALAMEDA:
We have two Dumeril’s boas. Can you spot them both? Sometimes when it is really hot, they dig under the soil and mulch in their tank to keep cool. They are both girls and one is larger then the other but they have live together since they were babies.
Acrantophis dumerili
-Belong to the family Boidae, containing the world's largest snake species including pythons, boas, and anacondas
-Endemic to the drier parts of Madagascar (southern and southwestern savannas and forests) where they use their patterns to camouflage against the leaf litter on the forest floor
-Typically reach lengths of 4-5 feet, sometimes up to 7 feet, with females being larger than males
-Typically live 20-30 years
-Lacking the heat-sensitive facial pits present in many other boas, these snakes ambush attack small mammals and birds
-Like other boas, Dumeril's boas can lay virtually motionless for long periods of time, waiting for unsuspecting prey to pass.
-When the prey is within reach, the boa strikes out in a single explosive motion, using its many recurved teeth to grab hold of the prey, and quickly wrap it up in the coils of its muscular body. The prey, unable to breathe, is then swallowed whole by the boa.
-The name for Dumeril's boa in Malagash, the native language of Madagascar, is "do," pronounced like "dough!"
-Adults are "cathemeral", meaning they are active intermittently throughout the day and night (unlike the nocturnal juveniles, which are active only during the night)
-Offspring: These snakes are viviparous, producing litters of 6-13 relatively large young snakes, which are independent at birth
HERE AT ALAMEDA:
We have two Dumeril’s boas. Can you spot them both? Sometimes when it is really hot, they dig under the soil and mulch in their tank to keep cool. They are both girls and one is larger then the other but they have live together since they were babies.