The bottom line is that we do not know how these invasive snakes became established. They may have been released by pet owners who could not deal with the requirements needed to house, feed and handle a large constrictor, they could be the results of an intentional introduction, or they could be the result of escape from either a large research/breeding facility or private owners. Or, some contribution from each method of release.

A large snake that has spent an entire life confined in an inclosure, handled periodically, and has lived a life free from predation should act very differently than one that has grown up in the glades. It has been my experience that captive snakes tend to move more in a straight line instead of using a side to side motion to move forward. Having worked with boas through the pet trade and then collecting them down in Panama from their natural environment was an eye opening experience for me, in my opinion it is very easy to tell the difference between wild and captive.

Also, if the pythons are the result of pet dumping then we should now be seeing snakes with microchips, right??? Have there been any snakes recovered with microchips??

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