Harmless · Native to Madagascar · Kept as a pet

Dumeril’s boa

Acrantophis dumerili Jan, 1860

Also called Dumeril’s ground boa
Data updated October 2026

Dumeril’s boa stretched in a curve on sandy ground, showing a brown, black and tan pattern
Fig. 1 — Adult on sandy ground. The brown and black pattern matches leaf litter.
Close view of a Dumeril’s boa head with tongue extended, showing pale lips spotted with black
Fig. 2 — Head detail. The pale lip scales carry bold black spots.

At a glance

A heavy-bodied ground boa from the dry forests of southern and western Madagascar. Its brown and black pattern hides it among fallen leaves while it waits for prey. It gives birth to live young.

01

Identification

This is a thick, heavy snake with a broad head. The body is patterned in browns, tans and black, with darker saddles and pale patches along the sides. The lips are pale with black spots. Some individuals are much paler overall.

  1. 01Leaf-litter pattern. Mottled brown, tan and black saddles and side patches.
  2. 02Heavy body. Stout and muscular, built for life on the ground.
  3. 03Spotted lips. Pale lip scales marked with bold black spots.

Commonly confused with

02

Size

02 ft4 ft6 ft8 ft Typical adult · about 5 ft (1.5 m)

Adults measure about 4 to 6.5 feet (1.2–2 m). Newborns are 12 to 18 inches (30–46 cm) long.

03

Range & habitat

Pale Dumeril’s boa climbing through bare twigs at night
Fig. 3 — Mainly a ground snake, it will also move up into low branches.

Dumeril’s boa is found only in Madagascar, along the western coast and in the southwest. It lives in dry and semi-arid forest with low rainfall, where it spends most of its time on the forest floor.

04

Diet

It is an ambush hunter that waits hidden in leaf litter and kills by constriction. Prey includes small mammals, birds, lizards and frogs.

Feeds on

  • Small mammals
  • Birds
  • Lizards
  • Frogs

05

Behavior & seasons

Dumeril’s boas live alone and are active mainly at dusk and at night. They rely on camouflage, staying still among fallen leaves rather than moving far to search for food.

06

Reproduction

Females give birth to live young after a pregnancy of six to eight months. Litters range from about 6 to nearly 30 young.

07

Conservation

Zoo sources give its IUCN status as Least Concern or Vulnerable. Its numbers are falling because of clearing for farms and grazing, killing driven by fear and superstition, and collection for the skin and pet trades. It is listed in CITES Appendix I, which restricts commercial export from Madagascar. Zoos keep it in managed breeding programs.

08

In captivity

Most Dumeril’s boas in the pet trade are captive-bred. In general terms this ground-dwelling snake needs a secure enclosure with plenty of floor space, a warm area and a cooler area, a deep substrate and places to hide. In care it is fed rodents of a suitable size.

Adults are heavy and strong. Read more about reptile care

Keep reading

Sources

Data updated October 2026 · How we build these pages