Boa constrictors are usually yellowish or grayish, with a pattern of dark brown. The tail is often reddish-orange. Boa constrictors may grow as large as 2 to 3 m (6.6 to 10 ft) in length. Large individuals may reach lengths of 4 m (13 ft). They kill their prey by squeezing it to death and then they swallow it whole. Boas use the coils of their body to suffocate their prey. They can stretch their jaws wide apart to swallow animals larger than their heads. The boa constrictor lives in the jungles of Central and South America.