[tweener]

quote:Indonesian villagers claim to have captured a python that is almost 49.21 feet (15 meters) long and weighs nearly 992.07 pounds (450 kilograms), a local official said Monday.

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That is some snake!


----
John

[bezoar]

I always thought that the Anaconda was the largest snake.

Bezoar

[Ylide]

On average, yes.  But the largest individual specimen is a python.  Kinda like how Min Yao in the NBA, who is Chinese, is the tallest guy currently playing (i think) even though the Chinese are tall on average.



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[Kryptid]

I remember seeing a photograph of a supposed giant snake once. The photograph was taken from a helicopter and the snake was thought to be about 60 feet long. In fact, the pilot claimed that the snake reared up and tried to strike at the helicopter!

Since the discovery of this 49-foot snake, a 60-foot snake isn't out of the question. Giant snakes like this have been a topic of cryptozoology for a while now.

[bezoar]

Mutants!

Bezoar

[Quantumcat]

To tweener: this is what I get by clicking on your link.

 Impossible de trouver la page
Il est possible que la page recherchée ait été supprimée, que son nom ait changé ou qu'elle ne soit pas disponible pour le moment.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Essayez de la manière suivante :

Si vous avez entré l'adresse de cette page dans la barre d'adresses, vérifiez qu'elle est correcte.

Ouvrez la page de démarrage customwire.ap.org et recherchez des liens vers les informations voulues.
Cliquez sur le bouton  Précédente pour essayer un autre lien.
Cliquez sur  Rechercher pour trouver des informations sur Internet.



HTTP 404 - Fichier non trouvé
Internet Explorer  


Am I dead? Am I alive? I'm both!

[Exodus]

quote:Originally posted by Supercryptid

I remember seeing a photograph of a supposed giant snake once. The photograph was taken from a helicopter and the snake was thought to be about 60 feet long. In fact, the pilot claimed that the snake reared up and tried to strike at the helicopter!

Since the discovery of this 49-foot snake, a 60-foot snake isn't out of the question. Giant snakes like this have been a topic of cryptozoology for a while now.

Have you heard of the Great Crested one Eyed Trouser Snake of Papua New Guinnee?

Resident Tour Operator - The Naked Scientists

[bezoar]

I don't suppose you might have one of those, huh Exodus?

[Exodus]

well i dont personally no... i don't agree with keeping such creatures in captivity.

Resident Tour Operator - The Naked Scientists

[Exodus]

actually, tweener, i think your link has broken but for all those who might be interested, here is a picture of that Indonesian python...

Richard.


Resident Tour Operator - The Naked Scientists

[tweener]

I guess the AP doesn't keep their stories online for very long.

One of the pictures showed a guy in the cage with the snake.  Wouldn't be me.  I've seen how fast a snake strikes and constricts it's prey.

----
John - The Eternal Pessimist.

[DorianGreyed]

Sorry, folks, but that snake, when measured by a British newspaper reporter, was about 22' long. The officials said that they didn't know what happened, but it must have shrunk. Really.

newbielink:http://answerpool.com/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=669605981&f=653608402&m=8066034235 [nonactive]

[tweener]

Why am I not really surprised?  It's still a big snake though.

----
John - The Eternal Pessimist.

[MayoFlyFarmer]

Yeah, it didn't look nearly as big as some of the Anoconda's I remember seeing in amgazines when i was little.  Buts its still an impressive specimine.

We don't want the loonies taking over!

[kephartj]

i just say on Guinness World Records.com that the largest snake ever is one they shot in indonesia in 1912 that was 32ft 9.5in. now thats big.

[chris]

Yes, it certainly is big - but do you think, given the age of that record and the post by DorianGreyed above, that the measurement is reliable ?

How rapidly do snakes grow ? How long would the 22 foot specimen take to reach 32 feet if returned to the wild ? Does anyone know ?

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[sprite190582]

Excellent, a topic I actually know something about!
I have 3 snakes, A royal Python (also known as a Ball Python) (Cuddles the constrictor) she is about 5 years old and is just over 5 foot in length, she is fully grown now. My 2 Corn Snakes (Steve and Irwin) are 10 months old and about a foot in length, they will grow to approx 5 foot in total over the next 3 to 4 years. How big snakes grow to is dependent on there environment and of course the bread. In captivity they will only grown to the size the tank allows them to. If they are put in a tank that is too big they will grow to try and fill it (a territory thing). If they grow too fast health problems occur. Probably the best known snake in the world, the Boa grown to approx 10 feet and should reach that in 5 to 7 years.

The longest snake in the world (working on gathered statistics – there are a couple of odd snakes out there that just don’t stop growing) is the Reticulated Python (Python reticulates) and can grow up to 33 feet on average. Burmese Pythons (Python molurur bivittatus) grow quickly, when they are hatchlings they are approx 2 foot in length but in 2 years they will quickly grow in 15 feet and 120 pounds! The Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) is the heaviest snake in the world and often gets called the biggest it reaches on average 30 feet but over 200 pounds in weight.

I feel obligated to mention that keeping snakes as pets is very hard work, they have to be heated correctly and require frequent changes to there tank size when growing (Very expensive) Cuddles my Royal Python is a rescued snake who when I obtained her as a baby had 50% burns (due to being heated with a 100 watt household light bulb) and required bathing every 4 hours day and night. She still has her scars but is fully recovered and very happy in her very big tank that is practically the length of my front room. Steve and Irwin (Steve being a girl!) are part of a breading program to assist people in learning more about the reproductive systems of snakes. I do not agree with snakes being taken from the wild and sold on the black market and in a way I don’t even agree with reptiles as pets. I have rehabilitated many over the years (including a gorgeous water dragon whose leg had been bitten off called Hoppy) all of which had been miss treated mainly through ignorance. Think wisely before having one as a pet. (Sorry for babbling on but it’s a passionate topic for me)


Alex

[sprite190582]

Young Anaconda

My Royal Python

Baby Royal

My Baby Corns

A royal hatching

I know I have gone a bit photo crazy but only just been told how to post pics. Hope these give you an idea of snake sizes.

Alex

[tweener]

Thanks for the pics Alex!  My son has a Royal (Ball) python that he is quite fond of.  Looks just like yours [].  My daughter has a rat snake that's almost 5 ft. long now.  Both were raised from hatchlings.



----
John - The Eternal Pessimist.

[neilep]

I would love to post a piccy of my snake but .........Oh I'm not even gonna bother cos you all probably know what I really mean !!!!

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[tweener]

You mean you don't have a snake??

----
John - The Eternal Pessimist.

[OmnipotentOne]

I've found a few garden snakes whe n iwas younger, adorable little things really!  Hmm there was a skeleton of  a rather massive snake at the Smithsonian, I'd say it was at leist 30 feet long

To see a world in a grain of sand.

[mad maXX]

i've heard of snakes 70 ft i wanted to ask an expert (you) for ansews the biggest snake ive seen was 30ft

for the guy who said about the 60ft snake that attacked the chopper

[mad maXX]

ksd;roiuea;shvn5az.,fc;.oq.vgsq

[mad maXX]

some one talk to me

[Mace]

Hey peeps, I'm new here. I have just inhereted 2 Burms(Burmese Pythons), a mated pair that will lay eggs soon. At 4 years old they both are 11' long and weigh in close to 80 pounds. On average they will reach close to 20' and live to 25-30 years in captivity.
If anyone here is interested in obtaining a hatchling let me know.

[snakelover337]

today i saw anaconda  was the largest snake I had ever seen  estimated  to be around 55 ft. long in length and had to weigh around 997 pounds. I tried to kill with my knife but missed while throwing it. little brother ran and told people from the village but when arrived it was late and the anaconda had already made it down the river.

[make_it_stop]

oh my god.  alex, you need to never give anybody advice about snakes again.  how big they get depends on how much they eat,not how big their enclosure is.  each specimen of any particular species has the propensity to reach its maximum size.  food availability, heat, water, and all sorts of environmental factors affect growth rate, and since a snake grows its entire life.  while the longest recorded reticulated python is 33 feet, the -average- retic adult is 17 or 18 feet.  

as for ease of care, a snake is about the easiest to care for pet you could name.  keep it warm, give if food and water.  pick up poop once in a while.

[simeonie]

I think you are wrong there because the growth of the snake has a lot to do with it's surroundings. A snake will not grow too big if it is only in a small place. It also must grow big if it has a lot of territory to protect.[^]

mmm hi!

[-ryan-]

I registered here just to post a reply to this:

As a reptile hobbyist, and one that has been in the game since I was 6, I feel obligated to tell you that some of the info in this thread is absolutely incorrect. Number one...NO, a snake will not grow depending on how big its enclosure is. How do I know? My dad's friend used to have a snake...it was a reticulated python, but like most pet stores tend to do, the one he bought it from told him the myth that it will only grow as big as the cage. So he only bought a very small cage...maybe a 10 gallon. I'm not entirely sure as it was a long time ago. Anyways, the snake continued to grow despite its very meager surroundings, and got to the point where it basically just didn't fit anymore, or at least could not live to be healthy in those surroundings. As for a snake growing larger when given more space. Also not true. Actually, if given too much space with not enough areas taken up by hiding spaces and such, the snake will become very stressed and usually unwilling to eat.

To understand how a snake grows, you have to understand how it works. It takes in food in the form of an entire animal (in captivity this is usualy a mouse, rat, rabbit, guinea pig...sometimes keepers of large snakes use small livestock like baby pigs). This serves as a perfectly balanced diet for the snake. Apply heat, and this gives the cold-blooded creature the energy it needs to digest the food, which allows it to grow (through processes I'm sure you already understand). A snake will only grow to a certain size though, just like a person will only grow to a certain size...it's genetics. Growth can be stunted though by poor husbandry.

Also, though snake species have their maximum lengths (burmese=25', anaconda=25...maybe 30', reticulated python=33'), you have to understand that getting a snake that size is a lot like getting a person that's over 8' tall. It only happens every now and the, and most specimens are actually considerably smaller, with burmese pythons usually topping out at around 15', anacondas roughly the same, and reticulated pythons only slightly longer. Most of the stories of huge snakes are just myths. Looking at the picture of the 'giant snake' taken by the guy in the helicopter, as well as his reports, prove it to be fake. The snake in the picture could be actually be a very small snake that was photographed close up...there are not enough details in the picture to prove what type of snake it was or where it was. Also, he reported that the snake's head was 3' wide, and that it tried to attack the helicopter. Number one, in order for the snake's head to be 3' wide and still proportioned to the body, it would have to be over 100' long, and surely it was not. Number two, a helicopter would scare the crap out of any snake, regardless of size, and their natural instincts to flee and hide would take over. Snakes do not randomly attack.

[DoctorBeaver]

quote:Snakes do not randomly attack

Tell that to black mambas!

[snakedudekane]

hey mase how much for a baby snake[?]

dude awesome

[Albert_Tools]

I am consistently amazed at the amount and degree of disinformation available on the internet.  But to see such HUGE misunderstandings of basic animal life, on a forum that includes "science" in its name, befuddles me, to say the least!

Thank you to the two of you who placed pearls of truth, into this thread.

sprite190582 - Alex - "a topic you know something about"?!?!?!?!?!  [V]  PLEASE, NEVER give advice about snake keeping again.  It saddens me deeply that there are serpents in your care.  Luckily, you own two of the most forgiving species that exist!  "It will only grow to the size of the cage" is a pet store tactic to sell beautiful baby pythons.  I had thought that it was almost entirely gone, but here it is again, rearing its ugly head.

I keep Burmese pythons, and breed Bismarck Ringed pythons.  I also own a small business, making custom snake handling equipment.  In my down time, I moderate two of the most respected on-line forums, for reptile owners.  I feel no where near being an expert.

One of the biggest problems is that people are thinking about "snake" instead of specific breeds.  No one would ever say, "If you give your Yorkshire terrier a big enough yard, it could get just as big as that Mastiff."  Dogs are more protective, of their territory, than almost any animal on earth, why don't they grow to fill their space?  Because it is a silly idea.  The Wildlife Conservation Society has had a reward, open for the taking, for about a hundred years now, for any snake, 30 ft or longer.  The prize is $50,000.00, and has never been claimed.  

There are five "giant" breeds of snakes.  The common, herpetological definition of a giant breed is that, other than defective examples, every single adult, of the breed, will be over 8 ft long.  These are:
Reticulated python: males average 11 - 16 ft, females average 15 - 21 ft
Burmese pythons: males average 9 - 14 ft, females average 13 - 18 ft
Indian pythons: closely related to Burmese, a hair smaller, on average
African Rock python: males average 9 - 13 ft, females average 12 - 17 ft
Green Anacondas: males average 8 - 12 ft, females average 9 - 14 ft

Some include the Amethystine, or Australian Scrub python. It does have an average length in this range, but there are many males that are less than 8 ft, and their slender bodies cause many to not see it as a true giant.  

Anacondas are boas.  Because boas bear live young, the females do not need to be so much bigger than the males.  Some would put anacondas higher on the list, because they are the largest, by girth.  Also because there are more myths and legends about anacondas than almost any breed of snake.

It must also be remembered that there can be freakishly large examples of any animal.  The average is what should be considered.  It is also hard to picture what a 30 foot snake would actually look like.  I have only had personal contact with a couple animals over 20 ft and it is un-imaginable how big they really are.  Since most people have never had contact with any snake over a few feet long, numbers get exaggerated, all the time.  For example, the picture below is of a female "Tiger" Reticulated python.  The animal was produced by, and is owned by Bob Clark, the worlds foremost expert in the captive breeding of pythons, and was photographed by Steve Gooch:



This snake weighs in at over 260lbs and is a HUGE snake.  Most people, in the world, would never see a snake this large.  If they did, if it did not have people holding it, (for size reference, and because of the lessened fear factor) you can easily see reports of a 40 ft snake.  However, this animal is just barely over 20 ft!!!  - Brian


"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man."  - Dr. Johnson
newbielink:http://www.herpportal.com/members/storefront1.php?member=0000000061 [nonactive]  - The Very Best in Custom Snake Handling Equipment

[Albert_Tools]

quote:Originally posted by chris
How rapidly do snakes grow ? How long would the 22 foot specimen take to reach 32 feet if returned to the wild ? Does anyone know ?

Snakes complete the bulk of their growth in the first few years of life.  The growth rate during this period depends on the amount of food they receive and the rate at which it is offered.  For instance, a captive reticulated python can attain lengths of 10+ feet in the first year of life, while it might take a wild animal four years to reach the same size.  The growth rate does not change the eventual size capability of the animal.

Any record length snake will, most likely, be a captive animal, from now on.  With the extreme success and explosive growth of the captive husbandry hobby, herpetoculture, many of these giants are living longer, MUCH healthier lives in human homes, than they ever would in the wild.  - Brian


"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man."  - Dr. Johnson
newbielink:http://www.herpportal.com/members/storefront1.php?member=0000000061 [nonactive]  - The Very Best in Custom Snake Handling Equipment

[Albert_Tools]

quote:Originally posted by simeonie

I think you are wrong there because the growth of the snake has a lot to do with it's surroundings. A snake will not grow too big if it is only in a small place. It also must grow big if it has a lot of territory to protect.[^]

Again, downright silly.  - Brian


"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man."  - Dr. Johnson
newbielink:http://www.herpportal.com/members/storefront1.php?member=0000000061 [nonactive]  - The Very Best in Custom Snake Handling Equipment

[Albert_Tools]

quote:Originally posted by DoctorBeaver

quote:Snakes do not randomly attack

Tell that to black mambas!

You can tell black mambas anything you like.  If you tell them up-close, it will scare them, and they will strike.  If you leave it alone, it will not.  There is not a single species of snake, or any healthy animal, for that matter, that will attack just for fun.  There is always fear or food invloved.  (Humans somehow missed this rule)  - Brian


"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man."  - Dr. Johnson
newbielink:http://www.herpportal.com/members/storefront1.php?member=0000000061 [nonactive]  - The Very Best in Custom Snake Handling Equipment

[AlphBravo]

"There is not a single species of snake, or any healthy animal, for that matter, that will attack just for fun."

I have to take issue with you on this one, I lived in Africa in my formative youth, and have seen some really large pythons there some going on 30 feet, anyway of the two Mambas the green is probably the more deadly, however the Black is mostly a ground based snake, and is quite agressive also being the fastest moving snake, something like 12 Mph.
In London 1978 I saw a Black Mamba the Zoo had, it was from memory 14-16 foot long and was probably the biggest Mamba I ever saw
In India they have the Hamadryad? a cobra that attacks on sight, but here in Australia there are also some big pythons 20 feet is big here but they are tree climbers, but we have these Brown snakes called a false cobra, they in mating time are known to be agressive.
Hey this year alone I have had 3 pythons in my garden, one being about 8 foot long.
I like them but my Fox terriers do not!

[ukmicky]

TO Albert Tools

Dolphins around the UK and US have been filmed hunting down, attacking and killing smaller smaller dolphins and porpoise’s for no reason other than the fun. Marine and dolphin experts were so shocked with their findings that at first they refused to believe it, it was only when they captured it on film a few times that they came to terms with the fact that the one creature that everyone loves to love could actively hunt down and kill a fellow member of it's species and kill it just for the thrill of the chase.

Chimpanzees have also been filmed going out on hunts explicitly to kill other male chimpanzees, before they go on their hunts all the males join together and hype each other up in some kind of ritual. The reason for MURDERING   other chimps is believed to be no more than a bonding exercise.

So we're not the only species that kills just for entertainment.


Michael                                      

[Snake King]

The largest snake ever captured was a Reticulated Python that measured 32 feet 9.5 inches in length.
The heaviest snake ever recorded was an Anaconda shot in Brazil in 1960.  This snake was never officially weighed, but at 27 feet 9 inches long with a 44 inch girth it was estimated to weigh over 500 lbs.  [8]

[ukmicky]

awesome

Michael                                      

[DoctorBeaver]

quote:You can tell black mambas anything you like. If you tell them up-close, it will scare them, and they will strike. If you leave it alone, it will not. There is not a single species of snake, or any healthy animal, for that matter, that will attack just for fun. There is always fear or food invloved. (Humans somehow missed this rule)

That's not strictly true. A female black mamba that has just laid eggs will attack anyone who gets too close & often chases them. Don't tell me this doesn't happen because I've actually seen it.
I've seen quite a few blacks mambas in the wild. I even had 1 cruise across my lawn. I wouldn't like to estimate its length, but it was holding its head a good 3' off the ground at 1 point.

AlphBravo - as for green mambas being more deadly... no. You can climb trees full of greens, even putting your hands on them as you climb, & they won't bite. They are among the most passive snakes in Africa.
Are you, maybe, confusing green mambas with the green tree snake? That is a totally different species - very aggressive and highly venomous.

Finally, I can tell you that being bitten by a rhinoceros viper damned well hurts! That was my own fault, though, & I in no way blame the snake. I still have the fang marks on my arm.

[DoctorBeaver]

I really hate to quibble, but domestic cats kill for fun & my Jack Russell often attacks my toes just for a lark! []

[AlphBravo]

" They are among the most passive snakes in Africa.
Are you, maybe, confusing green mambas with the green tree snake? That is a totally different species - very aggressive and highly venomous."

The Boomslang you mean quite quick a back fang model?
I remember a green Mamba in the living room once in my early youth it was up on the curtain pelmet and there were these little china figurines on it anyway it only knocked one off, but everybody was very excited by it being in the house, don't know about passive though.


Finally, I can tell you that being bitten by a rhinoceros viper damned well hurts! That was my own fault, though, & I in no way blame the snake. I still have the fang marks on my arm."

Nasty looking snakes, those vipers and adders very primordial, their fangs are something to behold, (never been bit though, touch wood)and they can strike quickly, for all that bulk.
I recently encountered for the first time recently near Sydney the diamond python, there were 3 of them, apparently some odd mating ritual thing, but one was about half the size of the other two!
never seen that before.

[DoctorBeaver]

Alpha - yes, the boomslang. Funny looking little buggers. I have known them to be confused with green mambas.

Certainly the green mambas in Uganda are passive. Kids handle them with no trouble.

[MoreliaMan]

hi everyone,   firstly im guessing alot of you have none or maybe only i little knowledge about reptiles, because there seems to be alot of B/S flying around here !   60foot snakes etc !!    the large snake found in indonesia was first measured with a piece of string by a group of villagers that are not exactly numerate!  plus when you consider snakes can constrict & expand their muscles, so a captured snake (in fear of its life) is going to struggle a bit ! no wonder it wasnt accurate !  i have certainly found with alot of snakes (not just the large ones) if they want to warm up they expand their muscles, thus making a larger area to trap the sun, also a snakes length can vary from day to day, i presume according to temp/humidity etc,     with regards to someone saying that a snake wouldnt attack without a reason, could be true, unless you can speak fluent snake i spose, it must be attacking you for some reason,   black mambas will turn around and chase you for what appears to be no good reason !  or for what you may think is no good reason, but im sure the mamba has one !  even if it is just for fun.  you cant really include mammals in this  because they are totally different to reptiles  when behavour is concerned.  Alot of people seem to be confusing the HEAVEST (reputed to be the anaconda) snake in the world to the LARGEST (or longest reputed to be the reticulated) snake in the world,  its like saying the goliath tarantula is the biggest spider on record, when infact it isnt, its the biggest in bulk size & weight !  some of the australian huntsman spiders grow larger than the goliath! but only weigh a fraction of the goliaths weight !
It is a true fact that snakes kept in captivity will usually grow larger that their wild relatives, also the size can be regulated in captivity, if you had a corn snake & only ever fed it baby mice, i doubt the snake would grow larger than 24" (this is being proved with reticulated pythons like   jampea dwarf retics)  a snake which has been isolated on an island for thousands of years with only a certain size prey available to eat ! resulting in an undersized snake, if you take one of thease so called dwarf varaties and start feeding them larger prey....the result ...they grow bigger that their cosins in the wild !   also.....snakes, if being fed the correct size food, WILL NOT grow according to their surroundings, they can and will outgrow them, this is a reptile, not a fish which emits chemicals when urinating to control population levels.  
And im sorry Alph but just because youve lived in a certian contry for a certian time, doesnt mean your an expert on the wildlife there !  
As for simeonie, you are very wrong and need to refresh your knowledge on reptiles, i just hope you dont keep any now !  i know i love to shove you in a kitchen cupboard to to just see if you shrink !      take care peps xx  marc[xx(]

[AlphBravo]

I never claimed expert status just "observation", ever notice folk who live in an area are mostly only cognizant with the local varities?

[ukmicky]

I love snakes, i was going to get one as a pet, but wifey said no.

Michael

[gecko]

just get one anyway.

[ukmicky]

gecko

I thankyou for your support.

However i take it from your advice that your not married otherwise you wouldnt be advising me to chose the route to my demise.

Michael

[moonfire]

quote:Originally posted by ukmicky

gecko

I thankyou for your support.

However i take it from your advice that your not married otherwise you wouldnt be advising me to chose the route to my demise.

Michael

Which is more deadly then any venomous snake on earth!  You are very smart and I would call you a wife expert...[]

"Lo" Loretta