A Rainbow Boa we found in Peru last year. These are popular snakes in the pet trade. In the wild, they can look just as vibrant. But unlike the captive-born pets, these snakes show signs of a hard life in the wild. A variety of scars, ticks, and dings adorn all of them. And unlike the pet boas, too: these snakes bite, and often! Of all of the snakes I’ve seen and handled in the Amazon, this species is responsible for the most damage to the hands of distracted photographers.
One of several Rainbow Boas we found moving through the layers of leaf litter covering the ground in the Peruvian Amazon. Back home, these are popular pets. In the wild, they’re every bit as colorful … but typically highly defensive and quick to bite.
An especially bitey Rainbow Boa was found cruising around in the leaf litter between amazingly large trees in the Amazon. These snakes are popular in the pet trade, for obvious reasons. In the wild, they’re quick to defend themselves, understandably. I got some photos and watched it slide off into the darkness.
