Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all, it's been quite a while since I've posted on the forums. I do presentations for the local school system. One of the most asked questions is, "Who do your boas have black tongues?" I never have an answer for this and was hoping that someone here might know why. I assume there is probably no actual reason they do, I've always figured they just do. If anyone could help me out with this perplexing question it would be much appreciated. Take care, Scott.

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"If A$$holes could fly, this place would be an airport", Not particularly for this place, I just liked the saying.

"In any civilized society, it is every citizen's responsibility to obey just laws.
But at the same time, it is every citizen's responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
—Martin Luther King Jr

When God got down to making boas he had run out of pink and blue ones.

I did presentations in the school system for three years and never got that question a single time about my Boas...glad I didn't!
The most fun and fascinating activity I did was to put my big female Argentine on the floor and let her travel...no one ever seemed to get bored with watching her climb up on tables and chairs...
The photo here is obviously not an Argentine...just one of my Surinams.

All the best-
Jim

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There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom 8:1

Hi Jim, I'm surprised you never got that question because I seem to hear it year after year, LOL. I always tell them I'll try and find out and forget to ask here at the forums so now I'm finally getting around to it. I have to agree with you, the kids truly love to watch them travel around the classroom, always seems to amaze them. Their always so surprised at how slow they usually move (although I never let any of my faster snakes down, don't want to freak any kids out.) This years annual science night is coming up next week so I figured I'd try to get an answer to this question so I can finally give them an answer. Hopefully someone can give an actual reason for having the black tongue but I have a feeling there is no actual answer, just that's the way it is. Thanks for your response. Take care, Scott.
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"If A$$holes could fly, this place would be an airport", Not particularly for this place, I just liked the saying.

"In any civilized society, it is every citizen's responsibility to obey just laws.
But at the same time, it is every citizen's responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
—Martin Luther King Jr

Scott-
I imagine your teaching style triggers more creative questions, and that's a compliment. Also, I have a degree in Special Education and usually spoke to small classes of behaviorally-disordered kids, who weren't quite as observant as they might have been.
Ever notice the black "lips" on a Boa? I wonder whether the pigmentation carries into the mouth as well.

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There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom 8:1

I would have to say that is just the way they were ment to be.
But it has to do with the melanin produced by the animal.
If you take an albino for exaple you get a pink tongue, because they do not produce melanin.
I have also heard that some of the Super Hypo's have red tongues, but I haven't seen this, so correct me if I am wrong.
The anerythristic Kenyan sand boas even have white tongues, I don't know what is going on here, but it is cool. I have never paid close enough attention to the snow boas do they have white Tongues? Just Curious.
Josh

I'd guess their tongues are most likely black for camouflage purposes. When in the wild snakes need to flick their to tongues frequently to smell the air for both predators and prey. I think if their tongues were bright colored it would attract to much attention and therefore either get them killed by predators or cause them to go hungry by scaring off prey. It works for me lol.

Hi boidmorph, I like that theory and I may use that as a partial explaination for it. My only problem with it is that most other snakes (as far as I know) have pink tongues. Maybe boas have developed with a black tongue as 'extra' camoflage. Thanks again for the response. Take care, Scott.
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"If A$$holes could fly, this place would be an airport", Not particularly for this place, I just liked the saying.

"In any civilized society, it is every citizen's responsibility to obey just laws.
But at the same time, it is every citizen's responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
—Martin Luther King Jr