From the tree boas that really is the widespread species. The Amazon tree boa like its name implies are found in elevated humidity arboreal areas and inhabits the Amazon rainforest.
But the species can be found in a broader range of habitats including drier areas such as savannas or arctic forests, secondary forests, woodland borders, neighboring rivers and perhaps even agricultural lands. Though they may be seen from sea level up to 3100 feet (950 m) most specimens are found below 1000 feet (300 m).
All these are moderate sized snakes having a slender body, increasing into an average size ranging between 5 to 6.5 ft (1.5 to 2 m) in length. Females are bigger than males.
Very few if any snake species exhibit this immense range of colours and patterns because the Amazon tree boa. Basically, their color can be anywhere from shades of orange, yellow or red and a number of other colors in between.
Some of these snakes are reddish with yellowish patterns while others are yellow in color with red or orange patterns. Specimens covered in chevron or rhomboid contours while other are patternless, speckled, or are banded.
Two-color”stages” are generally approved, the”garden phase” and also the”colored stage”, both of which are inherited. However, unlike the Green tree python or even the Emerald tree boa, the Amazon tree boa color does not change throughout the course of their life.
The”colored stage”‘ suggests the vibrant snakes with a combination of orange, red, and yellow coloration. Even though the”garden phase” specimens are less colorful and covered with a faded and dull coloration, consisting largely of grey, olive or brownish, with a varying pattern.
Their head gets 5 dark stripes extending out of the eyes that can be grayish, yellowish, or reddish, and have a reflective membrane leading to eyeshine through the nighttime.
The Amazon tree boa similar to its name suggests is the arboreal species normally found in trees and other plant, therefore they have a lengthy, powerfully prehensile tail to help them go through the trees.
But occasionally they’ve been discovered on the floor. Sometimes they will bask during the daytime on branches, although the species is nocturnal.
Their Most Important predators include the harpy eagle and probably the bigger crested eagle, saddleback tamarin and naturally people. It’s believed that their colour patterns serve helping them evade predators.
The Amazon tree boa is notoriously competitive, and because of its character, the species was often overlooked in the exotic pet trade. Hey aren’t quite as docile as the popular boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) or the ball python (Python regius) particularly wild-collected specimens.
Even so, they’ve become more popular amongst snake amateurs and are generally seen in the pet trade. They live for about 20 years in captivity. The species can be known by other common names like typical tree boa, garden tree boa or even macabrel.
Amazon Tree Boa Subspecies
The species was described as Boa hortulana from Linnaeus in 1758. For about 60 decades, until in 1996, the species was called Corallus enydris.
Other recent taxonomic review have divided the Amazon tree boa complex into 4 distinct species the Central American tree boa (C. ruschenbergerii), Cook’s tree boa (C. cookii), Grenadian tree boa (C. grenadensis) along with the Amazon tree boa.
Today there aren’t any subspecies recognized by scientists for its Amazon tree boa.
Amazon Tree Boa Diet
In the wild, the Amazon tree boa feeds largely on rodents, bats, small mammals, small reptiles, plants, insects, and even birds. As they develop juveniles will feed on small lizards, their diet varies.
Like most boas, they have labial pit organs with infrared-sensitive receptors, and also in Amazon tree boas that these are especially large letting them feel heat very nicely. These brilliant ambush predators generally hunt at night and because they’re non-venomous snakes and kill their prey by constriction.
But occasionally they will hunt throughout the day using their great eyesight. They will hit fast quickly grabbing the sufferer with their teeth. Even the Amazon tree boa then wraps the entire body in several coils around the prey and inhale constrict it till it expires in a few minutes.
Amazon Tree Boa Reproduction
Very little information can be found on the Amazon tree boa breeding in the wild, much pertinent information comes in captive breeding. They are viviparous with females giving birth to live young, contrary to the majority of snakes which lay eggs.
After a gestation period of about 6 to 8 weeks happening in late summer to wintermonths, the infant bees are born at the end of the rainy season. During this time females will bask in areas looking for some direct sunshine.
The typical litter averages approximately 5 to 20 younglings, around 12 inches (30 cm) in length and also a 1/4 inch (6 mm) in diameter. ) Immediately after birth the neonates are capable of fending for themselves and also will shed their skin for the first time 1 or 2 weeks after birth.
Amazon tree boas attain sexual maturity at approximately 3 decades of age. They talk about their habitat with different members of the Corallus household and occasionally interbreed with the unbelievably exquisite Emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus) creating a superbly colored hybrid offspring.
Amazon Tree Boa Conservation
At the time that the Amazon tree boa is listed because of Least Concern species according to its own very large distribution including numerous protected areas, the absence of perceived prevalent threats and a believed fairly large population.
Some localized threats may exist since they require trees to live, the whole deforestation of a place will wipe them out. They are also the target of persecution by people because of their similarities to some other harmful venomous viper and pit viper species.
The Amazon tree boa is included in CITES Appendix II.
