GOLD COAST BULLETIN (Australia) 29 March 11 Maximus the snake grows even larger (Jessica Huxley)

Australia's largest native snake in captivity was measured today, reaching a whopping 5.11m.

The aptly named scrub python Maximus has lived at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary since he hatched 15 years ago and has continued increase in size and weight since measuring in at 4.8m in 2008.

Senior reptile keeper at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Natalie Hill said scrub pythons left in the wild could reach lengths of up to 8m and believed Maximus would only continue to grow despite already reaching sexual maturity.

''He is quite impressive, we are lucky to have such an awesome native snake here at the zoo,'' Ms Hill said.

However, prying the horizontal heavyweight from his cage proved a lengthy task, requiring four Currumbin reptile handlers to measure the slithery inmate.

''Maximus is classed as a dangerous animal so he doesn't really get out much,'' Ms Hill said.

''Today I drew the short straw and waited for the opportune moment when he was distracted by something else so I could come up from behind and restrain his head without hesitating.

''Three other handlers then pulled him off the branches and make sure he was secure so we could get him out of the cage.''

Tape measure and string were then used to measure Maximus before he was returned to his cage and back to his waiting girlfriend Minimus.
Maximus the snake grows even larger

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