Huge Boa in my yard

Posted by anne on December 4, 2009, 6:20 am
187.146.106.193

Last Mon a HUGE BOA, known as Ilamacoas to locals, was found on my property. I live up on the Cerro (hill) above the Casa Cultural. A worker found him when painting a window. I had 2 kittens disappear in the last month and was told by locals that I probably had a boa on my property. Well, it was! I went down to see him, very nervously. When I saw him, a worker tells me he could hear me yell, 'Omygod' from the bottom of my property!! Over 6' long and curled up under a bush digesting my last kitten that disappeared a wk earlier. Hugo Brambila grabbed him by the neck and brought him up to my patio where I took lots of fotos. He kept trying to wrap around Hugo's arm. He then put him in a bolsa to take to the Laguna and release. On the way there, he went by his house to show his wife, Rosaura. I'd been invited there for breakfast, so went on down in my car. When I arrived, Hugo had left for the Laguna with the boa. Rosaura then told me that the boa had regurgitated my half digested kitten at their place! I got so upset and wanted to cry. She was in the process of spraying her front porch with deodorizer. I was so upset and wound up from this whole traumatic event, that I simply couldn't go home, even though I knew the boa wasn't there any more. So, when I left Hugo's, I went around town to visit my various Mexican friends. One, Luli, who runs the Abarrotes where we often buy our best produce, told me she had one enter her home once, get inside her birdcage, eat her 2 birds and then not be able to get out of the cage because of the birds in his stomach!!! And she lived down in the pueblo! The boa was definitely taken safely to the Laguna and later he was checked on--not there, so he is safe. In the meantime, I've been learning about the habits of our boas around here: They are territorial and generally stick to their own areas. Mine had probably been on my property for over 5 yrs. My gardener has come to my property at least twice a wk for all those 5 yrs and looks very closely for any type of snake, naturally. Never seen him. They are NOT poisonous, only grabbing a small animal with his powerful teeth to hold him and then wrapping around him to smother him. He then swallows him whole. It takes 1-4 wks to digest the animal, depending on size. During this period, he needs to remain still. If disturbed or needing to flee for safety, they regurgitate their prey for speedy exit. They do enter homes. My home is completely open--no doors and I've had all sorts of unwanteds in my house on a regular basis, although not this boa. He caught my kittens down on my property. Hugo tells me I live in Jurassic Park. I think it's true. Their many teeth are separated to help hold on firmly to their prey. As best as I can tell, they don't go in pairs. Only at certain times of the year. The end result is this: We live in their territory. The animals of this Selva--jungle--are sharing their territory with us. This is life here in this part of the world. We cannot and should not try to kill all the animals we see. Maybe if they're in our homes, but event then, it depends. I have the fotos of this boa and am putting them online. Or ask me to show them to you when you see me. This is definitely one for my Journals. Anne

436

Be sure to visit www.lamanzanilla.info