Reticulated python facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Reticulated python |
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P. reticulatus
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| Python reticulatus (Schneider, 1801)
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The Reticulated python (Python reticulatus) is a type of python snake. You can find it in Southeast Asia. These amazing snakes are known for being the longest in the world. They can grow up to 22.8 feet (about 7 meters) long! Even though they are super long, they are not the heaviest snakes.
Like all pythons, they are not venomous. This means they don't have poison. Instead, they are "constrictors." They squeeze their prey to catch it. Reticulated pythons are usually not dangerous to humans. Attacks on people are very rare, even though big ones are strong enough to cause harm.
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About the Reticulated Python
The reticulated python is the biggest snake found in Asia. Scientists have studied many of these snakes. They found that most are between 5 and 21 feet long. They usually weigh from 2 to 165 pounds. Snakes longer than 20 feet are quite rare. But the Guinness Book of World Records says it's the only snake alive that often gets that long.
A reticulated python that is the same length as a green anaconda might weigh only half as much. This is because anacondas are much thicker. One very large python was measured in Indonesia. It was 22.8 feet long and weighed 130 pounds. This snake had not eaten for almost three months. Sometimes, people report even longer snakes. But these reports are often not officially checked by scientists.
There was a famous python named Colossus. It lived in a zoo in Pittsburgh in the 1950s. People thought it was 28.5 feet long. But when it died, scientists measured its skeleton and skin. They found it was actually much shorter, about 20 to 24 feet long. This shows how hard it can be to get an exact measurement of a very long snake.
Amazing Camouflage
The reticulated python has a very cool pattern on its skin. It's a mix of different colors and shapes. It looks like a net or a puzzle. This pattern helps the snake hide really well. In a jungle, with shadows and fallen leaves, the python can almost disappear! This special coloring is called "disruptive coloration." It helps them hide from animals that might try to eat them. It also helps them sneak up on their own prey.
Where They Live and What They Like
The reticulated python lives across a big part of South Asia. You can find them in countries like India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They also live on many islands in that area.
These snakes like to live in rain forests and woodlands. They are often found near rivers, streams, and lakes. Reticulated pythons are excellent swimmers. They have even been seen far out in the ocean! This is how they have traveled to and settled on many small islands. Long ago, they were even common in busy cities like Bangkok. Sometimes, they would even eat pets there.
What They Eat
Reticulated pythons are "ambush hunters." This means they wait quietly until an animal comes close. Then, they quickly strike and grab it. They use their strong bodies to squeeze their prey. This is how they kill it.
Their natural diet includes many different mammals and sometimes birds. Smaller pythons, about 10 to 13 feet long, mostly eat rats and other rodents. Bigger pythons eat larger animals. These can include small civets, binturongs, primates, and even pigs that weigh over 130 pounds.
A reticulated python can usually swallow prey that is up to one-fourth its own length. It can also eat prey that weighs as much as itself! If they live near people, they might sometimes eat stray chickens, cats, and dogs. One very large python, almost 23 feet long, ate a sun bear that weighed 50 pounds. It took the snake about 10 weeks to digest it!
Images for kids
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A diagram showing the skull of a python.
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Large reticulated pythons are occasionally found on the outskirts of Bangkok. Usually, a minimum of two people is required to successfully extract such a large snake.
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Reticulated python in Pune
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Reticulated python with an unusual color pattern: Various color patterns are found in captive-bred specimens – some brought about by selective breeding.
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Large Python Ragunan Zoo.jpg
A large python at Ragunan Zoo, Terrarium, South Jakarta, Indonesia.
See also
In Spanish: Pitón reticulada para niños
