LA Pic
Burmese pythons handled when small usually
stay mellow (as well as pretty).
LA
Albino Burmese about the same size (with ticks)
LA Pic
If handled regularly, large Burmese stay mellow even when quite large.
Origins: Burmese
pythons, as you might suspect, originally came from the country known as Burma
(now Myanmar), plus S.E. Asia, India, lower China, and some islands of the
East Indies. Supposedly killed for their
skins (more likely because people don’t want a snake in their yard big
enough to eat them) and now endangered, nearly all Burms sold today are
locally raised.
LA
Small albino Burmese python -- just arrived.
LA
9.5 foot long Burmese python at Aqualand October 15, 2005. Joe,
Julie, and Mike stretching out Tink, a male Burmese python, for an
official Aqualand measurement.
News Report.
This year (2004) a zookeeper in Indonesia reported a 49-foot Burmese
python. When it was measured, the zookeeper had no idea how his
giant snake had suddenly shrank.
Natural Environment: Hot
and humid with plenty of water. Burmese
pythons like to climb and they like to swim. Your
Burm cannot digest food if you keep it too cool.
LA Pic
Don't point Burmese pythons at your face.
Temperament: Burmese want
to eat most of the time. They
get more active when hungry. When
full, they like to loaf in warm water and in the sun.
Daily handling keeps them tame – even the big ones.
Burms make good snakes to take your picture with.
Your photo op is the only time you should wrap a Burm around your
neck. Make sure other people
are handy when you try on a Burm necktie for size.
Big Burms are amazingly strong. Ticked off Burms are even
stronger.
LA Pic
Here's 100 pounds of muscle -- not a Burmese python but comparable.
Handle with care.
LA Pic
Burmese pythons get really big and hungry. The biggies usually eat just once a
month.
Maximum Size. Female
Burmese pythons can grow to 20 feet and weigh up to 200 pounds.
Twelve to 15 feet in length is more common.
The largest recorded specimen was 25 feet.
Burms are definitely not a snake for children (or even a house with
children in it). Do not expect
the Zoo to take your snake off your hands if it grows too large for you.
Des Moines Ordinance.
The City of Des Moines prohibits the possession of constrictor snakes in excess of six feet in
length.
LA
Here comes Peter Cottontail ...
Foods: A weekly feeding
of a rodent or commercial food suffices.
(Big guys just need one rabbit per month.) Power feeding wastes your money, usually makes your Burmese
python obese, and
always grows it too big too fast. Feed
a food item no larger than the width of your Burm’s body.
Too large a food can cause your Burm to vomit its half-digested
meal -- nasty smell. Freshly killed or frozen
(thawed, of course) rodents will keep your snake free of unnecessary
wounds. Cornered rats bite
like crazy. You
would too. Frozen foods also help keep your Burm free of
parasites.
Supplements: You need no
added vitamins or mineral supplements. Your
Burmese python gets all the nutrition it needs from its food.
Lighting: Burmese
pythons don’t
need full-spectrum light, but they do appreciate a regular day and night
schedule. Make sure your Burm
cannot reach any bare bulbs.
Water: Give your Burmese
python a
great big water bowl – as big as you can carry.
Cat pans work great.
LA
Snakes appreciate an occasional hug. Have help nearby.
LA
Mike and LA handling Tink, a 9.5 foot-long albino Burmese python.
LA
Julie, Tink's owner, seems more relaxed at snake wrangling.
Handling: Handle your Burmese python daily to keep it “friendly.”
Never handle any snake large enough to whup you. It’s
hard to dial 911 with a snake wrapped around your neck. Never handle any snake after handling rodents.
Snakes have poor eyesight. Burms
locate their food by smell and body heat.
If you smell like a rat, your Burm will want to taste you. If
it has cloudy eyes, skip the handling until it sheds.
LA
Never kiss
an albino python on your first date. Zach owns this hefty female
albino.
LA
Just a reminder that even hatchling Burmese pythons can bite. Take care
handling any snake.
LA
Slightly lighter version of the Burmese python. Go to Snakesgiving
for a big Burmese python.
LA
18-inch Burmese python.
LA
Her sister.
LA
The granite color phase of the Burmese python remains scarce.
Last Word: Always wash
your hands thoroughly after handling any reptile.
And keep them out of your mouth.
LA.
©
1997,
© 2003,
© 2004
LA Productions
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Sixth Avenue
Corner
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Moines, IA 50313
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