| Argentine
Boa Constrictors are nocturnal, and are found both in treetops and on the ground. In the
wild, Argentine Boa Constrictors eat birds and other small animals. In captivity, they are
fed rats that are occasionally dusted with a nutrient or mineral powder. Argentine Boa
Constrictors are extremely active and will need branches or shelves in their cages when
they are kept in captivity. They have fairly docile temperaments but should be handled
with caution; they may be aggressive if nervous or frightened and are large enough where
any aggression is dangerous. Argentine Boa Constrictors need fresh water available at all
times and love to soak in their water bowls. One Boa will do nicely in a 75-gallon tank.
Their enclosure should have hot and cool places to allow your Argentine Boa Constrictor to
thermoregulate, along with a hiding place at either ends or midway. The cool end should
remain around 80 degrees Fahrenheit while the warm end should be kept between 85 and 90
degrees. Make a basking spot of 90 to 95 degrees for your Boa with a strategically placed
light. Cage humidity should be kept around 55 percent. Aspen shavings make a good
substrate for the Argentine Boa Constrictor’s enclosure, and newspaper will work as
well. Never use cedar. The lid of your Argentine Boas cage should be weighted with about
five pounds on each side. They should be fed pre-killed or frozen food once every seven to
ten days. Small or young Argentine Boa Constrictors should be fed pinky mice, and as they
grow, may be fed rats or even rabbits. The male Argentine Boa Constrictor reaches eight to nine feet at maturity
and females are larger, growing to ten or 12 feet! It has a gray belly with dark spots,
and the rest of the snake is a brownish or black color. An elaborate overlaid pattern of
darker and lighter colors, sometimes white, is evident. The head, from the neck to the
very tip of the snout, is accented with a dark line on either side. Another line runs from
the eyes to the tip of the neck. A hypomelanistic variety of Argentine Boa Constrictor is
also available.
Native to Argentina and
Paraguay, the Argentine Boa Constrictor is most commonly found in wet forests but range
down into the grasslands and scrub forests as well. They are listed as a CITES Appendix I,
meaning that they must be protected because they are killed for their skins and trapped
for the pet trade. Therefore, captive breeding programs are in progress and there are
restrictions concerning the importation of Argentine Boas. |