Field Examination of the Brazilian Boa Constrictor (Jiboia).

Here in the Cuiabá Basin there are a lot of Boa Constrictors.  These snakes are not venomous.   However, their mouth is full of minute sharp teeth perfectly capable of delivering a sharp nip and, worse, getting ripped off in the process and getting embedded in your flesh.

The risk of this happening obviously depends upon the circumstances and the disposition of the individual boa.

The situation I found myself in recently was having extract a very loudly-hissing Boa from a transport box.  A few days earlier I had received a quick in-the-field tutorial on approaching wild Boas for examination purposes.

A metal snake hook should be used to slowly open the cgae or transport box.  The hook should then be placed over one-third of the waydoen the reptile's body, thus catching it off-balance.  Snakes strike using the first third of their body.  If you place the hook beyond the first third of the body, the snake cannot strike.

Then you place your index finger behind the head and your thumb and middle finger either side of the mandible.  Voilá: you can remove the snake from the transport box and begin the examination.

This beautiful specimen of a Boa Constrictor received a physical examination and clean bill of health.  Photo: Dr John Beaumont

This specimen was approx a metre long.  Note that the use of gloves hinders manual dexterity and later examinations were carried out with bare hands allowing full manual dexterity.  Heart and respiratory rates are best obtained using ultrasound. Photo: Dr John Beaumont.  His hand, too!