Reticulated Python Snake

Facts about Reticulated Python snakes. "Scientific name for Reticulated Python snake is Python reticulatus". Reticulated Python snakes are also known as python reticulatus. They are species of pythons found in Southeast Asia. The Reticulated Python snake are believed to be the longest snakes and reptiles living though they are not heavily built. The color and the size can vary according to the geographical location. The Reticulated Python snake have a very beautiful pattern which is admirable.

Reticulated pythons adults can grow up to 22 feet 8 inches (6.94 meters) long. But the Reticulated Python are very rare though they have been reported and even recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. In average the Reticulated Python grow from 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) and weigh from 1 to 75 kg (2.2 lbs to 165 lbs). The Reticulated Python snake are non-venomous constrictors so they are not considered to be dangerous to human.

The Reticulated Pythons live in rain forests, grasslands and woodlands. They are also found in rivers, lakes and streams. The Reticulated Python are excellent swimmers and this explains why they have colonized many islands within their range.

Reticulated pythons diet mostly contains mammals and birds. If they live near human habitation they grab chicken, cats and dogs. There are other small species that are believed to eat rats and rodents.

It has been reported that the largest species of Reticulated Python snake can even eat a sun bear. There is a specimen that has been reported to have eaten a 23 kg (50 lbs) sun bear which took it around ten weeks to digest. Another one swallowed a pig that was around 60kgs (132 lbs). But something amazing is that the Reticulated Python can swallow preys which are almost their weight and ¼ of their length and sleep for months before they are digested.

Reticulated Python snakes are not good hunters, so mostly they rely on prey which wanders around their range. Only a few cases in fact there is only one case that has been reported, where a python entered a forest and killed a child.

Reticulated pythons are oviparous, where females lay between 15 and 80 eggs per clutch. These eggs take around 88 days to hatch and the hatch-lings are around 2 feet long (0.6 meters). If the Reticulated Python are kept in captivity, the incubation temperature should be 31 -32 degrees so that the eggs can hatch.

Recently the Reticulated Python snake are kept as pets due to the pet’s trade. Efforts have been made to keep them in captivity to prevent them from being killed.

Humans believe that since they are not harmful to them they are among the easiest to handle. Caution should be taken if one does not have any experience on how to handle the Reticulated Python because it is has been noted that they are unpredictable.

When threatened Reticulated pythons are very dangerous because they bite in defense. There are believed to be the only snakes that prey humans. But since the Reticulated Python are not venomous, their bite is not at all bad but can cause injuries.

Mostly people love keeping them because of their beautiful pattern and their huge size which amazes people. Reticulated pythons are kept in National Parks and Zoos where people come to admire them.

But a point to note though is that, scientists are not very sure about their weight and length because they believe that these two are exaggerated. This is proved by the fact the there are some Reticulated Python snakes that are dwarfs and reported in Australia.