Rubber Boa

Rubber Boa ( Charina bottae )

The Rubber Boa ( Charina bottae ) is a small member of Boas with a body length of 35-85 cm. Its distribution area covers the western North America from the central California to southern British Columbia and along the Pacific coast to the middle of Wyoming. The Rubber Boa comes in heights prior to 3000 m.

The Rubber Boa is a corpulent snake with a short, blunt-ended tail. On the head there are large symmetrical scales. The pupils are oval and are perpendicular. On the top of the Rubber Boa is uniformly colored brown to olive green. Their underside is cream to yellow.

The propagation of the Rubber Boa is done ovoviviparous, giving birth to females per litter on average 2-8 boy. The snake lives mainly underground in existing corridors and crevices. It feeds on small mammals such as mice, but also of salamanders and other snakes.

In case of danger, the Rubber Boa rolled into a ball and stretched out her tail as dummy head in the air.

According to the Reptile Database is the Rubber Boa is the only way the then monotypic genus Charina. However, some authors also provide the boa in the genus Charina. The status is accordingly not yet fully understood.

Protection status

The Rubber Boa is classified in Appendix 2 of the CITES Convention as endangered ( CITES Reference A- 305 004 008 001 ).