They have tails that look a lot like their heads and will try to fool their predators into thinking that they might be a rattlesnake by shaking their tail, while their head is neatly tucked under their coiled body. I am not sure what that might fool.
Their main food source is a nest of baby mice or baby voles. Not satisfied with one or two, they will attempt to eat all in the nest, and fend off the mother with their tails. (Those tails again.) Often their tails will be covered with scars.
We love that their main food source is voles. Heaven knows that we have enough of them.
The boas look kind of slimy and somewhat intestinal, but are very soft, and when picked up will wrap around your wrist, in a nice kind of way.
They have been used to help people overcome fear of snakes. I have seen pictures of people walking around with rubber boas like they were a piece of jewelry. Iccckkkkkkk!!!!!! Though I have to admit that since the first of April, I have been keeping my eyes peeled to see them.
AND the porcupine is still munching around up on top of the hill. I am thinking that it is a female and that she has either had her baby (ies) or is about to. Considering that porcupines are nocturnal, I can't figure out why else we see her during the daytime. Maybe packing in all the food so that she has milk to feed the young during the night when they are active. Just my best guess. Does anybody really know?
I plead ignorance.. I had never heard of rubber boas. When I read the post heading I thought you were talking about novelty store boas. Now I must research them because I am intrigued. Thanks for the natural science lesson.
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