Facts on Reticulated Python

The Reticulated Python is one of the gigantic snakes in the world.

It is also one of the few snake species, which can be kept as pets.

It is found in Southeast Asia in countries like

Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

It is also known as Java Rock Python and Regal Python.
Its scientific name is Python reticulates.
It belongs to the python genus and the phytonidae family.

It is considered the longest snake in the world,

with the longest specimen that has been recorded to date to be about the same,

or a little larger than the longest anaconda.

Reticulated pythons range 10-20 feet in average,

yet the largest one was recorded at an immense 33 ft

and weighed in well over 300 lbs (136 kg).
Reticulated pythons hatch from eggs.

The female snakes may lay over 100 eggs at a time.

The eggs are white in color and have a soft, leathery shell.

The female pythons wrap their powerful bodies around their eggs

until they are ready to hatch.

This particular behavior is known as brooding

and it prevents the eggs from getting too warm or too cool.

The eggs need to remain close to 89 degrees Fahrenheit

during the incubation period, which lasts around 85 days.

The young pythons come out by cutting a slit

in the eggshell with their egg tooth.
The young pythons do not take long to grow independent,

and can begin searching for their food themselves in no time at all.

It must use its coloration and reticulated pattern

to hide from predators and to hunt for food.

It has the largest girth of snake species.
It lives on a variety of small to medium sized mammals as well as birds.

It has on rare occasions, killed and consumed humans.

It catches its prey with its backward-curving teeth,

and coils its powerful body around it,

squeezing until the victim dies.

Then it swallow its food completely.

Reticulated pythons are at home on the ground,

in caves or in trees and they have adapted to live

near the human habitation where they hunt

rats, chickens, ducks, domestic dogs, cats and pigs.

In spite of being dangerous, these pythons make good captives.

But the keeper should be trained well enough

in handling such large species, so as to ensure safety of himself

and as well as that of the snake.

They are non-venomous creatures, having an attractive appearance

that makes them quite popular among snake lovers

and by the leather industry.

People working with these snakes have often

reported them to show exceptional intelligence as well as awareness.
Small pythons can easily be captured and tamed,

but adults are dangerous as they can deliver vicious bites,

and their powerful coils may be too much for a human being to handle.

Its lifespan in the wild is up to 20 years

and in captivity it is known to live more than 20 years.
It is a nocturnal and solitary snake.