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The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is a very large python native to southern Asia, and common in the US pet trade.
It is semi-arboreal, but heavy-bodied. The record length is less than 7 m (23 feet) and the average is 4 m (13 ft). Females are the larger sex.
They are light colored snakes with many dark brown blotches covering them in an attractive pattern, which has further increased their popularity with both reptile keepers and the leather industry. The pattern is similar in color, but different in actual pattern to the African rock python, sometimes resulting in confusion of the two species outside of their habitats.
Their natural prey are birds and mammals. They are often found near villages due to the presence of rats and other vermin as a food source. However, their equal affinity for domesticated birds and mammals means that they are not always welcome.
The Burmese python is capable of raising its body temperature while incubating its eggs: by twitching its muscles it increases the temperature to slightly above that of the ambient air.
Infant Burmese pythons are often sold as pets in the United States, and are made popular by their color and easy-going, docile nature. However, these animals have a rapid growth rate, and will exceed 7 feet in length by their first birthday if cared for and fed properly. By age 4, they will have reached their adult size, though they continue growing very slowly throughout their lives, which may exceed 20 years. While this species has a well-deserved reputation for docility, it is a very powerful species, capable of inflicting severe bites or killing a keeper by constriction should a mistake happen (such as attempting to handle the snake after handling rabbits or rodents). In more mundane concerns, they consume large amounts of food, due to their size, and require large, often custom-built, enclosures, which can be very expensive. These snakes, like others, will attempt to hunt, and as pets this means that they will attempt to get out of their cages. Cage cleaning can be difficult, as the feces of the snake are large, and fully adult pythons can produce droppings that require a shovel to pick up. While this species is gentle, tractable, and attractive, its sheer size and power make it an unsuitable choice for beginning snake keepers, who are all too often lured into buying one by unscrupulous pet shop owners.
Variations
There is an albino form of the Burmese python. These have been selectively bred to produce a pure albino strain known as the golden python.
Sources
- . ISBN 0-7894-4660-X.
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