Burmese python (pic)

[swiftfoot]

wow 20 foot how long does it take to grow that long

 

[CrowinKing]

I used to breed them and sell them to the local pet stores in the area and the hatchlings would eat tails toes or limbs it didn't matter!!! I'll have to find my pics of them!!!

 

[amystours]

Quote:
I loved watching the Leopard Geckos....I always thought it was so cute when they slashed that tail when they were stalking....if I had stayed there (I moved away), I'm sure that would have been my next reptile!!!

Your baby is shedding because he's growing!!! Nothin' wrong with that!

 

[amystours]

Quote:
Well they actually never stop growing, just slow down!!!

Wikipedia says that they can reach 7 feet in their first year, and by age 4, will generally be their "adult" size, but will very slowly grow for the rest of their life.

 

[pips&peeps]

This happened in my neck of the woods:

EUGENE, Ore. -- A 12-foot snake attacked a female employee of a pet store, prompting assistance from police, firefighters and emergency personnel Thursday.

Sergeant Ryan Nelson had never tangled with a snake larger than a garter snake before Thursday.

All that changed, however, when he responded to a 911 call at 3:41 p.m. to find a woman in a Eugene pet store completely wrapped by a 12-foot Burmese python that was slowly constricting around her, police said.

Nelson saw the woman was in grave danger and feared for her life. But as he pulled out his knife in preparation to save the woman, matters got more difficult.
She pleaded with Nelson not to injure the snake.

So at risk to himself, Nelson complied and began his rescue attempt by trying to wrench the snake's mouth off of the woman's finger -- the snake had begun its attack by biting onto the woman's finger, wrapping itself around her wrist, arm then shoulder and moving toward her throat, police said.

Nelson managed to pry the snake's jaws partially off the woman's finger. A few of the snake's teeth got lodged in his thumb. Then emergency personnel used a screwdriver to free the woman's finger from the jaws of the reptile.

Nelson then put his own squeeze on the snake’s neck and was helped by fire and EMS members to unwrap the snake from the woman.

Nelson then started the task of returning the snake to the cage – the entrance to which was above head level.

The snake fought itself free and lunged for Nelson, but he grabbed the head again and finally wrestled it into its enclosure.

As he shut the door the angry serpent's head shot forth once more, trying to get in one last bite.

The jaws met only glass.

Neither the woman nor the snake was seriously injured in the ordeal, police said.

ETA: I don't think it was getting enough to eat....​

 

[amystours]

Yeah, the general rule when handling large snakes is one person for every four feet of snake. They are nothing you can just take out and show off, no matter how long you've messed with them before....they are still an animal, regardless!

The key is, when something like that happens (and it's hard to think right when you are "on the spot"), is to start unwinding the snake beginning at the tail. Never grab their head and try to wrench them off, they will just bite harder!!

I knew when I adopted Kitana that I wouldn't keep her forever, for just that reason. The people were going to let her go OUTSIDE! I shut that down, real fast! I figured I could buy her some time and keep her until I couldn't handle her anymore.