Types of boas

Sanzinia is a genus of boas in the family Boidae, found only on Madagascar. The group is small, with the Madagascar tree boa (Sanzinia madagascariensis) being the long-recognized member and a southern and western population sometimes treated as a second species, the Nosy Komba or western Madagascar tree boa. Like all boas, these are non-venomous constrictors: they have no venom and no fangs, and they kill prey by gripping and squeezing rather than by bite. They sit within the boa family alongside the other Madagascar boas (Acrantophis) and the wider New World and Pacific boa lineages.

These are moderately sized, heavy-bodied snakes, generally reaching several feet in length, with a distinctly triangular head set off from the neck and large eyes suited to a nocturnal life. Coloration runs from green to brown and can shift with age and population, often with a pattern of darker blotches or bands along the body. A hallmark feature shared with many boas and pythons is the row of heat-sensing pits along the lips, which helps them detect warm-bodied prey in the dark. They are largely arboreal, coiling on branches in humid forest and forest edges, though they also use the ground.

As ambush predators they feed mostly on small mammals and birds, taking prey with a strike, coil, and constriction. They give live birth rather than laying eggs, which is typical for boas. They are harmless to people in the sense that they are not venomous and pose no toxic threat, but they are wild animals: a large boa can deliver a painful defensive bite, and wild snakes should be observed and not handled. Sanzinia is protected under international trade rules, and the safe and respectful approach is to leave wild individuals alone.