Emerald Tree Boa
Corallus
caninus
Linnaeus 1758
Of all the members of the Corallus genus, the emerald tree boa probably stands out the most with its brilliant green coloration decorated by white markings. Emerald tree boas are also the most well-known of the tree boas because of their depiction in numerous books about rainforest inhabitats.
The emerald tree boa has many unique characters that set it off from other snakes. Although a majority of boids
have heat receptor pits, they do not have nearly the quantity that emerald tree boas possess. These heat receptors
enable emerald tree boas to target any animal giving off infrared radiation. The characteristic coil of emerald tree
boas is very conspicuous and is only replicated by the green tree python of Australia and New Guinea. They sit
draped over a single branch with their body coiled such that their head rests more or less right in the center.
Unlike their Corallus relatives who will spend time on the ground, emerald tree boas are strictly arboreal and
encountering individuals on the ground usually means something is wrong.
Since the late 1980's and early 1990's, there has been a significant increase in the interest of maintaining
emerald tree boas in captivity in the private sector. However, many animals are wild caught individuals which have
been tremendously traumatized through the importation process and don't survive long in captivity. The good news is
that increased success of private herpetoculturists in breeding emerald tree boas as well as several nations
restricting the exportation of emerald tree boas from their lands will help decrease the number of animals imported
each year. Furthermore, more is being learned about these fascinating snakes and attempts to adjust individuals to
captivity are more and more successful as time goes on.
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