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Instead of trying to be the first to come up with that perfect "designer color" morph---

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.

That is very difficult because there are "official" records and unofficial records. I have a ball python that is at least 38 years old but there's no good way to substantiate this claim (other than I know it is that old). I know of a burm that is close to 40...but hard to substantiate. The books by Slavens and Slavens are probably your best bet for documented longevity records (they include both current and deceased specimens). Hope this helps.

Rob Carmichael, Director/Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation (IL)

Wow, a burm close to 40. That is just interesting in and of itself. I once had a 31 year old indian python and I though she was darn old. What is the condition of that near 40 burm?

On a different but still related note,.... I wish I still had the first burmese (plural) that I had in the mid 70's. I think about them all the time even to this day. They died as a result of catching a very contagious virus brought in by a single infected female in 1989. Nearly every burmese I had died, and those that hadn't died were very sick when I passed the buck, so I assume that they died as well. It was just an awful virus. Well over 30 adult females and several males died in less than 2 years. The vets didn't know what it was then and we threw everything at it that was available. Genomyacin, Amikacin, and a few I can't remember. Nothing worked. I just honestly don't think that the vets knew what they were looking for. I read in some years later something refered to as "Burmese Disease" that sounded a lot like it. And that it is really only detectable from post death organ biopsies. Beyond that I still don't know much about it. But I would suspect that it still probably exists somewhere out there in the snake world.

>>That is very difficult because there are "official" records and unofficial records. I have a ball python that is at least 38 years old but there's no good way to substantiate this claim (other than I know it is that old). I know of a burm that is close to 40...but hard to substantiate. The books by Slavens and Slavens are probably your best bet for documented longevity records (they include both current and deceased specimens). Hope this helps.
>>
>>Rob Carmichael, Director/Curator
>>The Wildlife Discovery Center
>>City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation (IL)
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If 50% of one's enemies are still breathing,... it just means you're doing a half-assed job.