Cuban Dwarf Boa

About the Cuban Dwarf Boa

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Cuban Dwarf Boa

Is the Cuban Dwarf Boa venomous?

No. The Cuban Dwarf Boa (Tropidophis melanurus) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.

Is the Cuban Dwarf Boa poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Cuban Dwarf Boa is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Cuban Dwarf Boa dangerous?

The Cuban Dwarf Boa is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Cuban Dwarf Boa live?

The Cuban Dwarf Boa has verified records in 3 countries, including Cuba, Cayman Islands, United States of America. See the distribution section below for its full range.

What does the Cuban Dwarf Boa eat?

T. melanurus preys upon amphibians (frogs), reptiles (lizards), birds, and mammals (rodents).

Why is it called the Cuban Dwarf Boa?

The subspecific name, ericksoni, is in honor of Edwin B. Erickson who assisted Schwartz in fieldwork in 1957.

Where it is found

More Tropidophiidae snakes

• 
  Northern Eyelash Boa
  Tropidophis boulengeri
• 
  Haitian Dwarf Boa
  Tropidophis haetianus
• 
  Cayman Islands Dwarf Boa
  Tropidophis caymanensis
• 
  Northern Bahamas Trope
  Tropidophis curtus
• 
  Ambergris Cay Dwarf Boa
  Tropidophis greenwayi
• 
  Brazilian Dwarf Boa
  Tropidophis paucisquamis
• 
  Spotted Brown Trope
  Tropidophis pardalis
• 
  Feick's Dwarf Boa
  Tropidophis feicki

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards

Squamata

FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits

Tropidophiidae

GenusA close-knit group of very similar species

Tropidophis

SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name

Tropidophis melanurus

Keep learning

• What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
• Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
• What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
• How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.