Python for Unix and Linux System Administration By Noah Gift, Jeremy Jones
August 2008
Pages: 456

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Colophon

The image on the cover of Python for Unix and Linux System Administration is a boa
constrictor (boa constrictor). Found throughout South and Central America and some islands in the Caribbean, boa constrictors are non-venomous snakes that can thrive in a wide array of environments, from deserts to open savannas and wet tropical forests, but they prefer arid terrain over wet surroundings. They are both terrestrial and arboreal, but as they get older, they tend to spend more time on the ground.
Boa constrictors have very unique markings that include diamond- and oval-like patterns. Their scales change colors depending on their habitat, allowing them to hide from the forest-dwelling animals that hunt them.
In the wild, boa constrictors thrive on small- to medium-size rodents, lizards, bats,
birds, mongooses, squirrels, and have even been known to feast on other mammals as large as ocelots. Being cold-blooded and slow moving, boas can go up to a week without eating after capturing large prey. They are solitary and nocturnal hunters, with heat-sensitive pads on their heads to help them hunt. Particularly fond of bats, boas will hang in trees and from the mouths of caves waiting for them to fly by, then they can grab the bats with their mouths. Not surprisingly, boa constrictors kill by constriction. The snake wraps its body around its prey in coils, tightening its grip each time the victim breathes out, eventually suffocating it to death.
Boas are a common attraction in zoos, and they are even relatively common pets. In fact, thousands of dollars are made every year importing them into the U.S. In South America, they are revered as "destroyers of rodents" and are often domesticated for that reason. Boa constrictors grow quite tame in captivity and can live there as such for 20-30 years.
Hunted for the exotic pet trade and their decorative markings, some boa
constrictors are endangered and have protected status. Boa constrictors are seasonal breeders. To attract males, females emit a scent from their cloacas, which is the chamber into which the intestinal and urogenital tracts discharge.
Fertilization happens internally, and females can give birth to up to 60 live babies at one time. Significantly smaller than their anaconda cousins, newborn boas average 2 feet in length and can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh more than 100 pounds. Found in South America, the largest boa constrictor on record was 18 feet!

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