The Emerald Tree Boa Versus the Redtail Boa

Emerald tree boas are very different from red-tail boas.

Red-tail boas (Boa constrictor constrictor), also commonly referred to as simply "boa constrictors," have many of the same characteristics as the colorful emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus). Though these two species of New World boas may share an overlapping range and belong to the same family (Boidae), they are also different in several significant ways.

Identification

Emerald tree boas are easily distinguished from other members of the boa family by their bright green coloration and the irregular white bands that cross the surface of their backs. Adult emerald tree boas generally average lengths of between 4 and 6 feet, though the Oakland Zoo states that in some areas these snakes can reach 10 feet.

The red-tail boa is considerably larger than the emerald boa, reaching lengths of around 13 feet and averaging 8.2 feet. These snakes are identified by brown saddle-shaped blotches across their backs, which become darker and more red as they reach the tail.

Geography

Both emerald tree boas and red-tail boas are native to South America, though the range of the red-tail boa extends north into Central America and Mexico as well. The red-tail boa has a wider range, encompassing territory from northern Mexico south along the Andes Mountains into northern Peru and Argentina. Red-tail boas are also found on several islands just off the Pacific coast and on several islands of the Caribbean.

Emerald tree boas, on the other hand, are restricted mainly to the Amazon Basin and Guianan regions of northern South America.

Habitat

Red-tail boas and emerald tree boas are both arboreal (tree-dwelling) snakes, and their habitats are generally very similar. Both can be found in rainforest canopies and along the edges of rivers, according to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

While emerald tree boas tend to stay in the rainforest, red-tail boas have adapted to a number of habitats, including grasslands, dry forests, semi-desert landscapes and near human housing and developments.

Diet

The diet of both species of snakes is very similar, as both are opportunistic and generalist, and both kill by constricting their prey. Red-tail and emerald boas tend to wait until their prey comes near before striking and coiling their bodies around the animal to asphyxiate it. Rodents, lizards, amphibians, bats and other small mammals make up the diet of both species of boa.

Considerations

Red-tail boas are extremely popular as pets throughout much of the world because of their undemanding temperament and relatively gentle nature. According to Melissa Kaplan of Anapsid.org, many people fail to fully comprehend the size that a red-tail boa can attain and the amount of work that goes into caring for such a large snake. Often, says Kaplan, red-tail boas are abandoned by owners.

Emerald tree boas have also become sought-after as pets in recent years because of their bright coloration, but the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology notes that these snakes tend to be aggressive in captivity.

References

• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Corallus caninus
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Boa constrictor
• Melissa Kaplan's Herp Care Collection: Red-Tail Boa Care
• Oakland Zoo: Emerald Tree Boa