Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Awhile ago I posted a question on several of the snake forums requesting information on the largest/longest snake currently in captivity. Unfortunately, like so many other topics and information concerning snakes and reptiles, very few could agree or even provide a solid, sure & confident answer.

Well, I must be a glutton for punishment but here goes...

What is the oldest snake speciman currently ALIVE in captivity?
What about a species by species breakdown.

Thank You,
Michael N. Schroeder

*NOTE: I know that the world record for the longest lived snake was 47 years (a Royal/Ball Python aquired and cared for at The Philadelphia Zoo), many of those 40 years cared for under the management of Roger Conant.

>>*NOTE: I know that the world record for the longest lived snake was 47 years (a Royal/Ball Python aquired and cared for at The Philadelphia Zoo), many of those 40 years cared for under the management of Roger Conant.

This Roger Conant fella is a hero in my book! Must have taken great care of that so famous and so oft-referred to BP!

Did you meet him or something? How did you know that he was the guy? Does Philee Zoo have a web page on him or somethign?

just curious. and just want to learn more.

thx in advance.
-----
Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

You know those lil' ol' field guides we sometimes refer to? Well, he--to coin a phrase--wrote the book(s)! With the help of a host of others, a fact that he would probably be the first to mention.

Pick up and read the book entitled "A Field Guide to the Life and Times of Roger Conant". An autobiography that due to his modesty, he was practically forced to write! One of the books final chapters concerning his personal and proffesional relationships with some of the biggest (and unfortunately forgotten) contributors to the world of herpetology and zoology is alone "worth the price of admission". I personally wish he would devote an entire book pertaining to just that subject.

As a matter of fact the man is still going strong down in Alburquerque, NM conducting research not to mention passing along his much needed knowledge, wisdom and experience as well.

All our hats should be off to him.

Michael N. Schroeder

If you can get hold of a copy of the April, 1993 Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society, you can read an entertaining short article by Roger Conant entitled “The Oldest Snake.” The ball python you refer to was reported as “young adult size” when received on April 26, 1945 and died on October 7, 1992 after almost 47 and one-half years at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Today, at 94 years of age, Roger Conant is still publishing and contributing to the advancement of herpetology.

-Joan

Three or four forum posters here have BPs well over 30 years old. My question is this-if a ball lived in a zoo for 47 years, and PROPER reptile care requirements have only been widely known since the late 70s or early 80s, do we actually know just how long their full lifespan could potentially be?
Might be worth a study

I mean, the care back then was awful normally. So with nearly perfect husbandry it can be expected that you'll get at least a 40 year old bp no prob.

"In captivity they can live up to about 50 years, but 20-30 years is probably more likely. Unfortunately due to the pressures of habitat fragmentation and destruction, as well as commercial collecting for the pet trade, skin trade, and the killing for food, Ball Pythons in the wild do not live as long."