Difference Between Pythons & Boas

Both constrictor snakes, the boa and the python capture prey with their muscular bodies, twine themselves around the victim to constrict its movement and effectively squeezes it until suffocation occurs. The snakes both consume their prey whole once the victim ceases breathing. Despite their similarities, the boa gives birth to live young, and the python lays eggs.

  1. Birth

    • The eggs of the boa constrictor remain within her body. Each infant snake is encased in a membrane within its mother's body where it grows over the course of approximately three months. The membrane ruptures and the mother gives birth to a perfectly formed tiny snake that measures up to 17 to 20 inches in length. A boa will give birth to up to 60 live babies at a time. The python forms a shallow nest that she often covers with leaves. She lays 12 to 100 eggs within the midst of the protective nest and lies coiled around them for protection. She does not leave her eggs, even to eat. The mother snake will rhythmically contract her muscles to keep the eggs warm. When the eggs hatch, she leaves the nest and young.

    Skeletal Differences

    • Visually, many species of pythons and boas look virtually identical. The emerald tree boa and the green tree python bear a striking resemblance to each other and usually require a herpetologist to distinguish the two apart. Despite their external similarities, the python has one more bone in its skull than the boa. The python also has more the teeth than the boa. The python has four rows of teeth and no fangs. Both snakes' teeth curve towards the back to make it easier to swallow their prey whole by unhinging their jaw.

    Native Homelands

    • Pythons occur in Africa, Asia and Australia but boas' native habit ranges from North to South America. Humans pose a serious threat to the boa. Considering it a pest, farmers and ranchers often kill the boa snakes to protect their poultry. The snake will sneak into a poultry pen by squeezing through the holes in the fencing; once it eats a chicken it will not fit back out the hole so becomes vulnerable to the farmer or rancher. Hunters also hunt the snakes for their skin and meat. The snake's skin commands a high price.

    Similarities and Differences

    • Both boas and pythons have the distinction of being considered primitive snakes. They both have two sets of lungs. Their skeletal system shows the remnants of a pelvis and hind legs from when they once walked the land. Both snakes smell with their tongues and use them to hunt prey. They can also sense the heat of their prey through openings in their face. Boas and pythons can swim but boas do not enjoy the practice, unlike most species of pythons.