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What Do Rainbow Boas Eat?

The Brazilian rainbow boa, Epicrates cenchria cenchria, is considered one of the great beauties of the snake world. When light hits their iridescent skin, it appears to have all the colors of the rainbow. In the wild, these Central and South American native snakes inhabit humid forests, surviving on smaller prey sharing that habitat.

Food in the Wild

Like other members of the boa family, this snake squeezes his prey to death. Wild rainbow boas eat rodents, lizards and birds. If they live near water, they will catch and consume amphibians and possibly fish.

Food in Captivity

Rainbow boas kept in zoos consume a diet of chicks and rodents. If you keep this snake as a pet, feed him one rat or mouse per week. ReptileChannel.com recommends selecting a rodent whose girth matches the widest point of the snake. While you can offer live prey, thawed or fresh-killed rodents are probably safer for you, as they can't bite.