Skip main navigation
Close menu

Emerald Tree Boa

Corralus caninus

 

  • Emerald Tree Boa
  • Emerald Tree Boa
  • emerald tree boa
  • Emerald Tree Boa
  • Emerald Tree Boa
  • Emerald Tree Boa
  • Emerald Tree Boa
  • emerald tree boa
  • Emerald Tree Boa
  • Emerald Tree Boa

 

About the Emerald Tree Boa

conservation status: least concern

Geographic Range:

range map of the emerald tree boa

Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Boidae
Genus: Corralus
Species: caninus

Emerald tree boas start life with bright red or orange coloring, which shifts to green within their first year. They have the largest front teeth (proportionally) of any non-venomous snake and use their prehensile tails to anchor themselves in trees. Nocturnal ambush predators, they coil on branches by day and extend their heads downward at night to catch prey. Solitary outside of breeding, females give birth to live young every two years. Native to northern South America, they thrive in the rainforests’ dense canopies.

Committed to Conservation

One of the threats facing emerald tree boas are collection for the pet trade. In fact, reptiles are some of the most heavily trafficked victims of the global exotic pet trade. 

You can help!
Responsible pet ownership is a great way to protect wildlife. Before bringing home a new pet, ask where the animal came from and if it is legal to own where you live. Learn more about our work to save animals from illegal trafficking.

About the Emerald Tree Boa

Appearance:
Emerald tree boas may be bright green as adults, but they’re born with striking red or orange coloration, which gradually shifts to emerald between 6 months and 1 year of age. They also have exceptionally large front teeth—the largest, proportionally, of any non-venomous snake. Tree boas get their distinctive coiled pose from their prehensile tail, which they use to anchor themselves in a tree.

Size:

  • Length: 4–6 feet
  • Weight: Females are typically larger, weighing up to 4 pounds, while males range from 2–3 pounds.
  • At Birth: Hatchlings weigh between 1.8–3.7 pounds and measure 15.7–19.8 inches long.

Diet:
This species is carnivorous and feeds on small mammals, some smaller bird species, lizards and frogs.

Reproduction:
Females reach sexual maturity at 4–5 years old, while males mature slightly earlier at 3–4 years. Breeding occurs every two years, with females giving birth to 3–20 offspring. With a gestation period of seven months, emerald tree boas are ovoviviparous—meaning the young develop inside eggs that hatch within the mother’s body before birth.

Behavior:
Emerald tree boas are solitary outside the breeding season, and their young are fully independent at birth, requiring no maternal care.

Primarily nocturnal, they spend much of their time coiled on tree branches with their head at the center. At night, they extend their head downward, patiently waiting to ambush prey.

Like other snakes, emerald tree boas rely on chemical signals to communicate, using their tongues and vomeronasal organs to detect scents in their environment.

Habitat/range:
Emerald tree boas are arboreal and can be found in the canopies of lowland tropical rainforests in northern South America, from Brazil to Bolivia.

Threats:
This snake’s biggest threats are deforestation and the illegal pet trade.

Median Life Expectancy:
An exact age is not known in the wild, but it is thought to be an average of 15 years.