Ranking in at number 1 for the world’s longest snake, it’s the reticulated python. These giant serpents are the 2nd heaviest snake, after the anaconda. They can be found in southern and southeastern Asia in grasslands, woodlands, and rainforests near bodies of water. Even though they are hunted for their skin and captured for the pet trade, these snakes are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Malayopython reticulatus
Weight: Up to 350+ lbs.
Length: Up to 32+ feet
Lifespan: Up to 20 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) Retics prey on rodents when the snakes are younger. As they grow they will prey on civets, binturongs, primates, pigs, chickens, and dogs. 1 snake was even recorded eating a young sun bear. Humans sometimes fall victim to these giants as well.
2.) Being constrictors, they rely on squeezing their prey to death rather than depending on venom.
3.) When traversing on land, they use 2 main types of locomotion: serpentine movement and rectilinear movement.
4.) Like all snakes, the reticulated python is deaf. So they rely on vibrations (with the help of an ossicle organ called a columella), warmth that is detected by special heat receptor pits around their nose, and scents picked up by their tongue; with the help of the Jacobson’s organ (vomeronasal organ).
5.) Even though they are often kept as pets, care must be taken, as they not only become more dangerous the larger they get, but they are also known for their unpredictability regarding their mood.
But wait, there’s more on the reticulated python!
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Now a Short Reticulated Python Video!
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