snakes

[priyawarekar]

is it true that snakes like the boa family eat their pray alive and then coil around the tree to kill its pray or is it that they suffocate their pray and then eat it and also i'll like to know the names of the boa family other than boa constrictor,anaconda and python            

 

[bernardo]

Any type of constrictor snake coils itself around the body of its victim and holds on tightly.  When the victim tries to breathe, the snake tightens itself up a bit more every time the victim breathes out, and prevents them from being able to breathe in again.  Eventually the victim suffocates, and is then swallwed whole by the snake.  A large animal like an antelope would keep the snake going for months before it has to eat again.

[dawest]

Pythons, anacondas, boa constrictors, and other snakes that coil around and suffocate their prey are tropical snakes of the Boidae family.

Try this link-

http://www.nafcon.dircon.co.uk/boas.html

It gives a good general description of Boids and there are other links within the page with more information on specific genera of boas.

[Lindy Loo]

Boas, pythons and anacondas are all members of the Boidae family (Boids), but there are only two different types of anaconda; the yellow anaconda, which is very rare, and the more common green anaconda.
There are many types of boa and python to be found across the world such as Rainbow Boa from Brazil or Columbia. Most boa species are found in and around tropical forest areas such as Columbia and the Amazon.
Pythons on the other hand will be found in hot areas such as Africa and Burma. Rock pythons are found in many parts of India and neighbouring countries.

All non-venomous snakes will constrict not just the big snakes mentioned in your question; they will bite the prey and coil around the chest area. When the prey breaths out, the snake will squeeze a little so that the prey can�t breath in and will keep doing this until the lungs of the prey can�t expand anymore, but all snakes have specially designed nerves in their underside that detects the heart beat of the prey and may continue squeezing until the heart completely stops. (Although some non-venomous can�t constrict due to their small size and the small prey items)

 

Have a look at www.kingsnake.com

 

It's a brilliant reptile site with a huge photo gallery!