Eastern Rainbow Boa

About the Eastern Rainbow Boa

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Eastern Rainbow Boa

Is the Eastern Rainbow Boa venomous?

No. The Eastern Rainbow Boa (Epicrates crassus) 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 Eastern Rainbow Boa poisonous?

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

Is the Eastern Rainbow Boa dangerous?

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

More Boidae snakes

• 
  Western Rainbow Boa
  Epicrates cenchria
• 
  Brown Rainbow Boa
  Epicrates maurus
• 
  Campina Grande Rainbow Boa
  Epicrates assisi
• 
  Argentinian Rainbow Boa
  Epicrates alvarezi
• 
  Central American Boa
  Boa imperator
• 
  Northern Rubber Boa
  Charina bottae
• 
  Boa Constrictor
  Boa constrictor
• 
  Coastal Rosy Boa
  Lichanura orcutti

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

Boidae

GenusA close-knit group of very similar species

Epicrates

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

Epicrates crassus

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.