Though it will climb trees to escape danger, the rainbow boa spends most of its time on the ground. Slinking about at night, its heat-sensing pits enable it to locate warm-blooded prey through temperature differentiation. The boa subdues its prey through suffocation, constricting it with its body, and then swallows it whole.
Rainbow Boa
Epicrates cenchria
Fact File
Where to see them: Reptile House
Length: 5 to 7 ft
Venomous: Non-venomous
Habitat: Woodland and savanna
Diet: Small mammals and birds
Shimmering Skin: The rainbow boa is named for the iridescent spectrum of color its skin reflects in the sunlight.
