Snakes World

There seems to be some controversy over which snake is the largest in the world. The battle is between the Anaconda and the Asiatic Reticulated Python. The clear winner in my mind is the Anaconda. The Python holds the record of the longest snake, measuring 33 feet in overall length. However, the Anaconda is a much larger snake in weight and girth. They are both very scary, but the Anaconda is so large it looks like something from a horror movie. Found in the deep secluded jungles of South America, giant Anacondas can be found that are as big around as a large man and weigh in at 550 LBS.You may read reports of a 100 FT Anaconda or tales from the locals of 50 FT snakes in the nearby jungle. But these stories are just a myth as a snake of this magnitude has never been captured or found dead in the jungle.If you are looking forward to swimming on your next South America vacation, it would be wise to do this at the hotel pool. Anacondas spend the majority of their time hunting in the rivers and streams. They would be very difficult to spot in swamp. Their dark color acts a camouflage in the marshy waters.

The Anaconda is considered to be a boa constrictor. The boa constrictor family of snakes use their body strength to coil around their prey. The victim is squeezed to death, dying from internal bleeding and massive injury. Then, like many snakes, the victim is swallowed whole. The size of the victim is of no concern to the snake as it will simply unlock its jaw to make room for dinner.The diet of the Anaconda includes fish, small alligators, crocodiles, and other snakes. They have even been known to dine on deer and jaguar. Now, an Anaconda isn’t going to outrun a deer or a jaguar; it will sneak up on its prey in stealth mode.While the Anaconda is the largest snake alive today, a team of researchers discovered a much larger fossil in the rainforest of north-east Columbia. It is estimated that the giant 42 foot long snake lived in the area 58 million years ago. The fossil of the snake is so large it reaches up to the hips of a tall man. It is estimated that the snake would have weighed in at approximately 2,500 LBS, as much as a small car.

Who would send a package of live snakes to someone? Doesn’t that sound cruel all the way around? Well, this very thing happened near Cincinnati, Ohio last week. The suspicious package was discovered when FedEx employees saw a parcel moving. The police were called and an officer confirmed there were boa constrictors in the package. A rescue group was contacted and took over from there. Apparently a man was sending the boas to someone in Arizona. This is obviously not the way to ship live reptiles. Was he trying to harm the snakes or the the man he was sending them too? Maybe neither, but at the very least, it was poor judgement. We don’t know yet, but for snake enthusiasts like myself, this is troubling. We know that the boa constrictors are not poisonous, but still…Oh by the way, the man in Arizona was told he “may not get the snakes.” No not now, I doubt that he will. A few years back, FedEx had some commercials where they would say “This is a job for FedEx.” Not this time.

The Louisiana Pine Snake is one of the rarest, and quite possibly, the rarest snake in North America. It is illegal to catch or possess one of these snakes in the state of Texas. It is mostly found in areas with sandy soils. The Lousiana pine snake’s breeding season is in the spring. Their eggs hatch in the fall. Click here for more information on this fascinating snake.

The Python Patrol in the Florida Keys reads meters with one eye and look for snakes with the other. A team of utility workers, wildlife officials, park rangers and police officers are trying to keep Burmese pythons from gaining a foothold in the Florida Keys. Officials say the pythons, which can grow to 20 feet long and eat large animals whole, are being ditched by pet owners in the Florida Everglades, threatening the region’s endangered species and its ecosystem. They have their fingers crossed that the snakes haven’t come this far yet, but if they do, the patrol feels they are prepared. Burmese Pythons are rarely seen in the middle Florida Keys, and the Nature Conservancy wants to keep it that way. Burmese Pythons make wonderful pets IF they are properly cared for.

Good news: An alleged snake smuggler in Australia has been caught with a dozen pythons in his car. Some say the snakes could have went for $1500 each on the black market. West Australian police discovered the snakes when they randomly pulled over the 27-year-old’s car on the Eyre Highway at Eucla on Wednesday. The man’s been charged with exporting fauna without a licence and the unlawful possession of protected fauna. The pythons included six Children’s pythons, four Stimson’s pythons, an olive python and a black-headed python. Department of Environment and Conservation senior investigator Rick Dawson said none of the snakes were venomous but they are valuable when offered on the black market. The snakes are being sent to Perth for health checks. It is unlikely that these pythons can be released back into the wild due to the risk of introducing disease to wild populations but they will ensure they are well looked after. They take the unlawful possession of protected reptiles and reptile trafficking very seriously and will investigate and prosecute the capture and trafficking of wildlife in a bid to end this cruel practice

I pity the unsuspecting person who looks out the back door to see a giant python working on its tan. Big snake safety is vital. After all, large snakes are large enough to make meals of young children or pets.Under no circumstances should a large constrictor ever be allowed to roam free in a room that is occupied by humans. Even though a snake may have been around humans since its birth, it is still a wild animal, with all its natural behaviors and instincts intact. If, for whatever reason, the snake suddenly feels threatened, or if it momentarily confuses its keepers with food, it can attack suddenly and unpredictably. Here are four simple but vital rules for keeping a large boa or python:

(1) Never handle the large snake alone.

(2) Never allow a large snake to roam in a room occupied by humans.

(3) Never allow the scent of a prey animal to get on you when handling a large snake.

(4) Always keep the large snake in a securely locked escape-proof enclosure, accessible only by you.

We love snakes and want them (and you) to be safe at all times.