The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is a very large python native to southern Asia, and common in the US pet trade.
| Burmese python | |
|---|---|
| |
| Two albino Burmese pythons | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Suborder: | |
| Family: | |
| Subfamily: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | P. molurus
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Python molurus bivittatus | |
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.
Burmese Pythons as Pets
Infant Burmese pythons are often sold as pets in the United States, and are made popular by their color and apparently easy-going 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 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.
Ecological Concerns
Due to the difficulties of raising these as pets, some owners have released them into the wild. This has caused wide spread concern as they occupy a place at the top of the food chain. Over 230 (National Geographic - October 28th 05) have been captured in the Florida Everglades where they are competing with alligators as the dominant predator. In recent years this competition has resulted in what officials describe as a draw.
Variations
There is an albino form of the Burmese python. These snakes are white with patterns in butterscotch yellow and burnt orange. There are also Labyrinth specimens, which have mazelike patterns, khaki colored "Green" Burmese pythons, and "Granite" Burmese pythons, which have many small angular spots. Breeders have recently begun working with an island lineage of Burmese Pythons. Early reports indicate that these "dwarf Burmese" retain the coloration and gentle nature of their mainland relatives but do not grow much over 7 feet (2.1 meters) long.
See also
References
- Mattison, Chris (1999). Snake. DK Publishing. ISBN 0-7894-4660-X.
- "Python Bursts After Trying to Eat Gator". Retrieved October 5.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)