Pythons

I really get annoyed when people assume that all pythons are huge, dangerous, man-eating snakes. First of all, human beings are NOT a snake’s first choice on the reptilian dinner menu. Second, they do not seek us out, they would prefer to hide from us. And people……a reticulated python is NOT venomous. Its scientific name is Python reticulatus. Reticulatus is Latin for “net-like” and refers to its pattern. They are the longest snakes, but not the heaviest. The anaconda has that in the bag. They are capable of killing an adult human, but do not attack unless that human is messing with them in their natural habitat, or the human is a dimbulb who got a big snake “cuz it’s KEWL” with NO idea in the world how to handle it. By dimbulb I mean someone who lets their 20-foot retic roam the house, or tries to handle it alone without another, strong adult to help.

Reticulated Python

Retics and Burmese pythons are often confused one for the other. Burms do not usually get as big as retics, but close; averaging 12-19 feet in length. They also reputedly have bad attitudes; I haven’t been around any to know for sure.

Burmese python

A ball python (Python regius) or “Royal” python is probably the #1 most popular pet snake, along with the corn snake. Your average ball python, on a diet of one weaner or small rat a week (depending on the snake’s size), can grow to an average of 3-4 feet long and as far as weight, that’s entirely dependent on how well they eat and how much you feed them. We have a couple of breeding females who are approximately 6 feet long and about 10 lbs. We feed them medium rats (which, in a pet store is sold as a “large” rat). A ball python is not scary, unless their main method of self-defense, curling up in a tight ball, is your idea of “scary”. A lot of them tend to be VERY “bitey” as hatchlings; some morphs seem to be more so than others.

Two of my ball pythons Bob, a pastel and Baby Retic, a normal

Jewel (one of our biggest breeder females) with her 2011 clutch

Pythons are a fine species of snake and deserve a lot of respect.

A fine example to novice snake keepers of the old saying: “Do as I say, not as I do”

This is what happens when you are in a hurry and forget to pick up your snake hook, or suitable substitute, before reaching into a hungry carpet python’s tank. Carpet pythons have notoriously bad attitudes, and when they’re hungry it’s like serpent PMS. EVERY snake keeper gets bit now and then….but this was just forgetful on my part. I’m not afraid or ashamed to admit that sometimes I make mistakes. Some of us really into the reptile world like to show off our snake bites like badges.

What did this feel like, you ask? A hundred red hot needles, a stab wound, and the same feeling you get when you sprain your wrist. The thing about snake bites, I’ve found, although they can be initially painful, the pain dulls and goes away in a short time. Always remember….wash out and bandage a snake bite IMMEDIATELY.

MY ADVICE IS FOR NON-VENOMOUS ONLY. I know very little about venomous and would never presume to give ill-informed advice.

MITES again!

Just had to treat the entire snake room for mites.  This after we just treated snakes in the bedroom for mites.  This time I vacuumed every inch of that room and sprayed Nix everywhere. It’s embarrassing to write a blog about reptiles, and give advice to new snake owners, and then have this recurring problem in my own collection.  I feel that it’s necessary, however, to let the inexperienced keeper know that even we of experience sometimes have these issues.  I think it  was all the old mite-infested bedding under the racks.  Hopefully this time, the extra diligence will pay off.  It’s frustrating, but something you deal with for the creatures you love.