Calabar's Burrowing Python - Calabaria Reinhardtii

By all outward appearances, the Calabar burrowing python looks like your typical snake. Calabaria reinhardtii is a (nonvenomous) boa species that is native to west and central Africa. As it's name suggests, it is a fossorial species that spends the vast majority of its time underground, however unlike other burrowing boas, it digs its way through loose rainforest soil and leaf litter rather than sand. The species was long considered to be a member of the python family (still reflected by it's common name), however it's been found that the Calabar burrowing "python" actually represents an ancient branch of boas with no living relatives! Because these species will thrive in captivity with the proper conditions, they are becoming more and more popular among reptile owners and breeders. The meter-long reptile is a fairly docile animal. When confronted by a predator, it reacts defensively, curling into a tight ball to protect its head. its not super fond of being handled.