Reticulated Python

Habitat

This snake is found in tropical forests and nearby grassland throughout South East Asia.

Wild Diet

These constrictors feed on fish, amphibians, insects, shrimp, small deer and small monkeys.

Behaviour

Reticulated pythons are the world's longest snake. They have amazing patterns on their bodies which have evolved to help them blend into the leaf litter of the rainforests. 

When shedding their skin (called a slough) they rub their head on a rough surface to break the skin, then wriggle out of it. Sometimes a complete shed is achieved. The first sign a snake is about to shed is when their eyes go cloudy. At her current size of 16ft long and weighing 50 kgs, our female python, Lyra, will shed around every six months.

Breeding

The female will lay 15 to 80 eggs, and hatchlings are at least 2ft. She will coil around the clutch to keep them warm and protect them. The mother can shiver (spasm) to raise their temperature by up to 7 degrees.

Conservation

This beautiful snake faces threats of hunting for skin, capture for the pet trade and habitat destruction.