As the victim exhales, the snake tightens the grip so that inhaling is not possible. In a very short time, the prey loses consciousness and dies due to lack of air. A boa is not poisonous. Boa constrictors grow from 10 to 14 feet long as adults. Many people believe them to be the biggest snake in the world but there are several pythons and other species that are larger.
Most boa constrictors live in South America in the Guianas, Brazil, Peru and other tropical regions.
There are over 50 species of boas that range from bright emerald green to rainbow colors to a brown that doesn't stand out. There are even two small kinds that live in the southwestern United States. Boa constrictors defend themselves like most other snakes by striking and biting. Their teeth point inward and rip skin so the larger one can make bad wounds. They can swallow animals larger than their head because their jaws can become detached in the back and then be stretched far apart.