Boa Constrictor Mythology

Boa constrictors can be intimidating animals. Most people tend to find reptiles mysterious and therefore, a little frightening. Make no mistake about it--boas are powerful, dangerous creatures and need to be treated with great caution and respect. However, many of the scarier things attributed to them are simply not true.

  1. They̵7;re Venomous

    • Many people think all snakes are venomous, and even if they̵7;re not, something as large as boa constrictor surely must be. But boas are not venomous at all. They do have fangs and it would assuredly not be the most pleasant experience in the world being bitten by a boa. However, their fangs carry non-toxic fluid that will not kill you should this ever happen. Boas kill by suffocating, not biting.

    They̵7;re Slimy

    • This one frequently gets applied to all reptiles, particularly snakes. Boas are not slimy. They do not live in water. Snakes are simply cold-blooded and do not put off a lot of body heat. But the boa̵7;s skin is dry and ̶0;feels much like silk̶1; according to Adelle Tilton at the pet website Padpaws and Whispers.

    They Eat People

    • A famous urban legend tells the story of a women who owned a boa constrictor becoming concerned when the boa begins refusing to eat. Several weeks go by and the snake still doesn̵7;t eat. Finally, she takes it to the vet, who tells her that she̵7;s lucky--the boa was starving himself so that it could eat her. However, the truth is quite different. Boa constrictors do not eat people. They don̵7;t stalk people and jump out to attack them, either. Boas eat rats, mice, birds and frogs, and can eat medium-sized creatures like monkeys, pigs and sometimes even deer. But according to the San Diego Zoo, boas are ̶0;not the bad guys̶1; and ̶0;don̵7;t deserve their nasty reputation.̶1; They want little or nothing to do with people when they are free.

    They Can̵7;t Recognize People

    • One of the things people say they fear about boas is that the boa will attack them or think they are prey because they don̵7;t recognize them. This won̵7;t happen for a number of reasons: boas don̵7;t eat people and they do recognize people. Snakes are somewhat intelligent. Boas do come to know and recognize their own handlers. They̵7;ll respond to people and feel comfortable with those they know.

    Boas Lay Eggs

    • It̵7;s widely thought that all reptiles give birth to their young by laying eggs. This is true about some snakes, but not about boas. Boas give birth to live young, just like humans. They are born in a membrane, but this is a light covering that is easy to break through and is not in any way a shell.