Burmese Pythons

Following yesterday's post about reticulated pythons, today I will be posting information regarding another large python and that is the Burmese python. Found living in sub tropical environments in Asia, often near water as they are semi-aquatic animals. Again like reticulated pythons, Burms grow rather large: on average reaching 12ft and maxing out at 23ft. They can also weigh up to 200lbs and can be as wide as a telephone pole. They are one of worlds largest snakes. They have a lifespan of up to thirty years in captivity.

Albino

Burmese pythons are generally dark in colour with brown blotches bordered with black down their backs. This makes them attractive in the pet trade and a favourite with breeders. They also have a docile nature and are often considering as gentle giants. Although like retics, caution is advised while handling. 

When the pythons are young, they like to climb trees to avoid contact with predators but as they get bigger they loose the ability to climb trees due to their weight. They also make extremely good swimmers and can say submerged for up to thirty minutes, which is why they are known as semi-aquatic.

Albino Green

Breeding

During the breeding process, females can lay up to 100 eggs although the average is 35. During incubation the mother "shivers" her muscles, a bit like a spasm motion, to keep the eggs above air temperature. When the babies hatch they are 1-1.5ft long. Mothers need to incubate their eggs for up to 3 months. Males can breed at 7-9 feet and females at least 9ft.

Burmese Hatchlings

Diet

A Burmese python's diet consists of large rodents and rabbits. In the wild they can eat deer and other large prey items although will not need to feed again for up to a year after such a meal. The majority of Burms are highly aggressive feeders so caution is needed when feeding due to the fact that if they bite out of hunger, they will not let go easily and may also try to constrict. Bare in mind to always feed the right sized food item to any snake as something too large can cause digestive issues or worse problems.

Caramel Albino

Housing

Housing a Burm can be a challenge due to their large size. For a hatchling you will need a 30-55 gallon tank and a custom built one for an adult. They are also solitary animals so should be housed separately. Humidity is ambient at 70-80%. Temperature needs to be 28-35 degrees Celsius and due to their size they will need heat from a ceramic source. 

Morphs

Like most captive snakes, there are a variety of colours and patterns available. Morphs include:  caramel, super hypo, fire, albino, green, granite, labyrinth and many more.

Green Granite

Handling

As Burmese pythons are very large, caution is advised when handling them. Some people prefer to use snake hooks to let the python know they are going to be handled and to also coax them out of their viv. Once they are out, you are able to handle them. When handling, ensure there is at least another person in the room in case the burm bites and constricts. If one does bite you, pour cold juice in their mouth as they dislike the taste and temperature, therefore, letting go. Tongue suppressors can also be used for the more stubborn pythons.