SCIENTIFIC NAME: Epicrates cenchria

The rainbow boa is a beautiful snake that spends as much time in the trees as it does on the ground. Its name comes from the colors reflected when sunlight hits its skin. When the boa is hiding in the shade it looks dotted with dark round spots. It has bony recurred teeth, instead of poisonous fangs, and like other boas, this snake is a very powerful constrictor. The rainbow boa will kill its prey by wrapping around its chest and squeezing so the animal can't breath. When the animal is dead the snake swallows it whole. It may take a week or more to digest so the boa will relax and rest until the process is complete. It detects prey by using holes near its mouth that are lined with heat sensitive nerve endings. It detects the presence of animals by the heat given off by their bodies. Rainbow boas usually are near grasslands and water. They constantly circle the edges of small villages, but rarely attack people.