About Puerto Rican Boas

Puerto Rican boas are large, heavy-bodied snakes ranging in color from tan to dark brown, with dark blotches. They grow to be 6-7’ long, and weigh around 2 pounds.

They are excellent swimmers and can be seen in both fresh and salt water. Boas have heat pits between the scales bordering their mouth, allowing them to detect minute rises in temperature. This sense helps them detect warm-blooded prey. Boas kill their prey by constriction which which stops the heart from beating. They then swallow prey whole, usually head first. 

Puerto Rican Boa at the Akron Zoo

The Puerto Rican boa can be found in Curious Creatures located inside Komodo Kingdom.