The rainbow boa in this picture is resting.
The rainbow boa is found in Central America and Northern South America. The rainbow boa is often found in trees or rock piles on tropical islands off the coast of this area. In the science classroom, the two rainbow boas that we have live in a 20 gallon long tank with a tree limb and wood clippings. As in the wild, the boas eat live prey but their food is different. In the classroom the rainbow boas eat mice or baby rats. In the wild, they eat bird and small mammals. Rainbow boas are near the top of the food chain but, some birds of prey and humans do eat them.
This rainbow boa is in a defensive position.
Rainbow boas can live up to 27 years in captivity, but scientists aren't sure how long they live in the wild. After 3-4 years, depending on the sex, the rainbow boas can reproduce. Only during reproduction does the rainbow boa live in groups. The female boa can have between 10 - 35 live young at a time. Rainbow boas are one of the few boas that do have live young and it generally takes mom five months before she can have her children.
Rainbow boas have a prehensile tail which helps them to hold onto trees while they catch their prey. The skin of the rainbow boa is iridescent, or shows the colors of the rainbow. Their scales are the main reason why they are called rainbow. There are two stages of the rainbow boa the "red" stage and the "orange" stage.