Reptile & Amphibian Forums

'World's longest snake' captured

Indonesian villagers are claiming they have caught a python which is almost 15 metres (49 feet) long, according to local media reports.
If confirmed, it would be the longest snake ever held in captivity.

It is currently being kept in a zoo in the village of Curugsewu on the island of Java.

Reports said that the snake was purchased from a man who caught it in a Sumatra forest last year.

Newspapers quoted a local official as saying the python was 14.85 metres long and weighed 447 kilograms.

They said that the snake had only recently been put on public display and ate three or four dogs a month.

Officially, the longest snake ever caught was a python shot in Celebes in Indonesia in 1912, which was almost 10 metres in length.

This would be over 39 feet long and weigh close to 1000 pounds..I want 3 of them..hehehe

Good lord... I am not as familiar with pythons as I would like, do you have any idea what it is? Is it a known species, like something I would have heard of? I have to remember not to EVER get one of those.
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Anna

The Zoo
Corns
1.0 Snow - Cornelius
1.1 Ghost(pastel) - Eek & Boo
0.1 Amel - Scarlet
0.1 Hypo - Nikko
0.1 Anery - Missy
0.1 Hypo Motley - Cordelia aka Cordy
Boas
0.1 Columbian (BCC) - Bella
Lizards
0.0.1 Leopard Gecko - Leo
Rats
0.1 Dumbo Agouti - Moon
1.0 Standard Black - Pluto
Cats
1.1 Siamese - Blue & Fiona
0.1 Gray DMS - Druscilla aka Dru
Horses
1.0 Thourghbred (Hunter/Jumper) - Morgan's Majesty aka Cody

np.

Here's the link to the actual article.
Longest snake ever captured

3-4 Dogs a month!! How would you explain that one to Animal Control?

Personally, if the snake is too big and heavy to hold it wouldn't be as fun for me (and most likely with 5 cats very dangerous). Part of the fun is answering the door for the pizza guy with a snake wrapped around your neck .

I can't believe how big those snakes get....
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Chantel a.k.a. sillygirl
"I came, I saw, I adopted"

2.3.0 green anoles (Stumpy (M)), and the rest remain nameless.
2.2.0 green tree frogs (Romeo & Juliet, Bonnie & Clyde)
0.0.3 D. tinctorius (Cobalt froglets)
0.1 Anerythristic 'B' (Charcoal)corn snake (Popcorn)
0.1 Snow Corn (KandyKorn)
0.2 Amel Corns (KornSilk & KornMuffin)
0.0.1 Normal Corn (PepperKorn)
1.0 Creamsicle Corn (Kream)
0.0.1 Giant African Millipede
2.4 Domestic house cats (Bad Boy (m), Bart(m),Sasha(F),Little Bit(F),Spirit(F)
1.0 Rottweiler (Jake)
1.2 Rats (new additions with no names yet)
1.4 Mice (My step-daughter seems to think they are pets)
1.0 Husband (David, who loves all my critters too)

Have you seen any though? Beautiful, but also huge and man are they grumpy. There was a guy at our last show selling a pair of tiger retics and I love how they look but their attitude scares me a little. That and I wouldn't worry about the cats as much as the kids... A snake that big could probably put down my 30 pound skinny little 3 year-old in a heartbeat, and some days I wouldn't blame the snake. He hasn't gotten out of the terrible twos yet.
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Anna

The Zoo
Corns
1.0 Snow - Cornelius
1.1 Ghost(pastel) - Eek & Boo
0.1 Amel - Scarlet
0.1 Hypo - Nikko
0.1 Anery - Missy
0.1 Hypo Motley - Cordelia aka Cordy
Boas
0.1 Columbian (BCC) - Bella
Lizards
0.0.1 Leopard Gecko - Leo
Rats
0.1 Dumbo Agouti - Moon
1.0 Standard Black - Pluto
Cats
1.1 Siamese - Blue & Fiona
0.1 Gray DMS - Druscilla aka Dru
Horses
1.0 Thourghbred (Hunter/Jumper) - Morgan's Majesty aka Cody

My 8 yr. old girl still hasn't gotten out of her terrible two's. She's spoiled rotten being the only grand child on both sides.

But what a good way to keep your kids in line, threaten to feed them to the snake *eg* !!

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Chantel a.k.a. sillygirl
"I came, I saw, I adopted"

2.3.0 green anoles (Stumpy (M)), and the rest remain nameless.
2.2.0 green tree frogs (Romeo & Juliet, Bonnie & Clyde)
0.0.3 D. tinctorius (Cobalt froglets)
0.1 Anerythristic 'B' (Charcoal)corn snake (Popcorn)
0.1 Snow Corn (KandyKorn)
0.2 Amel Corns (KornSilk & KornMuffin)
0.0.1 Normal Corn (PepperKorn)
1.0 Creamsicle Corn (Kream)
0.0.1 Giant African Millipede
2.4 Domestic house cats (Bad Boy (m), Bart(m),Sasha(F),Little Bit(F),Spirit(F)
1.0 Rottweiler (Jake)
1.2 Rats (new additions with no names yet)
1.4 Mice (My step-daughter seems to think they are pets)
1.0 Husband (David, who loves all my critters too)

Her name was "S**t-head" because of her purely evil disposition. At least she was consistent - you were going to get bit and pooped on every time you handled her. I used a hook and a handle to work with her because on several occasions her teeth broke off under my skin and caused terrible infections. She was 10' long when I sold her, but still had a light, slender, and LIGHTNING FAST body. She was also absolutely gorgeous; just beautiful. The Veterinarian always made me bring 2 adult male helpers with me to control the beast.

At least she never sent me to the ER - it took an attack by my Cuban/Columbian Boa (8' long at the time of the attack) to accomplish that!

I'm much happier with my 2 corns and their little velcro teeth!

HF1

Oh man! Don't tell me that... How'd the boa send you to the ER? In just the last few months our little girl has developed quite the attitude. I can't wait until she's 8 feet and hissing at me.
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Anna

The Zoo
Corns
1.0 Snow - Cornelius
1.1 Ghost(pastel) - Eek & Boo
0.1 Amel - Scarlet
0.1 Hypo - Nikko
0.1 Anery - Missy
0.1 Hypo Motley - Cordelia aka Cordy
Boas
0.1 Columbian (BCC) - Bella
Lizards
0.0.1 Leopard Gecko - Leo
Rats
0.1 Dumbo Agouti - Moon
1.0 Standard Black - Pluto
Cats
1.1 Siamese - Blue & Fiona
0.1 Gray DMS - Druscilla aka Dru
Horses
1.0 Thourghbred (Hunter/Jumper) - Morgan's Majesty aka Cody

"Muffin" started out as a docile and very tame Boa. I handled him 3-4 times a week to keep him that way. He was SO tame I was usually able to break 3-4 rules of snake handling at a time and get away with it. Cuban Boas are known for their nastiness; I just thought I'd gotten lucky. Muffin got to slightly over 8 feet with a heavy powerful body and beautiful patterning and coloration. I was alternating his meals between live chickens and 5-7lb. rabbits (live, but hammered). When I got nailed Muffin had just shed and hadn't been feed quite awhile because of the shed. Let me add that a snake that large gets irritated if you don't make them feel very supported while picking them up and transporting them. That's Rule #1 I broke. Muffin also didn't like to get picked up from behind - Broken Rule #2. He was also being overstimulated from a sensory perspective because I was letting him crawl through the grass while a LOT of people were around - Broken Rule #3. Feeling confident and used to getting away with anything I wanted, I walked up behind him and scooped him up with one hand (therefore not supporting him) from behind. He nailed me with everything he had in the right shoulder, knocking me clear onto my backside and getting himself stuck in the process. By the time I got him un-stuck I had several very deep puncture wounds and several teeth imbedded DEEP inside my shoulder, and was bleeding profusely. (Hurt like a [bleep], too!) My shoulder was black & blue for 4 weeks...

If I had followed even the most basic rules of large 'Boid handling, and respected Muffin's quirks, I wouldn't have been bitten at all.

The most important rule of handling large 'Boids, IMO, is to have one adult male present for every 5' of snake. Additionally, know your snake's personality and respect it.

Muffin went on to a happy home and last I heard, was still gorging himself on chickens...

HF1

Don't let anyone tell you that you're a wimp if you use a stick and/or hook to deal with an aggressive 'Boid - there's no dishonor in it, IMO. It was pretty much the only way I could handle my Reticulated Python without bloodshed. Once I had it under control and it was done pooping everywhere, I could then put down the hook.

I believe that large 'Boids can be very dangerous and should be handled accordingly.

HF1

Thanks for sharing your story with us. I know I am always embarrassed when I have to admit I made a mistake, but we all do it. The advice was very good, and don't worry I know I'm a wimp! I really try not to be but once we managed to piss off our BCI enough that she was hissing and striking like crazy. She was hanging out on the bed with us and the cat (who was supposed to be shut out of the room) jumped up and scared her. After a half an hour of coaxing a really mad and loud snake into a box while it was striking at me, and pulling 2 teeth out of my cat's face with tweezers, I am not ashamed to admit sometimes I need a hook. It was so funny...when it happened my BF jumped up and grabbed a snake bag. I asked him what he planned to do with it and he actually said, "I will just throw it over her head and pick her up." Yeah right...he threw the bag which she proceded to strike, bite and wrestle to the ground. I was like, "so are you going to pick her up now, big shot?" Then I went to get this play cane my parents got me for my birthday because I am SO old and used it to kinda push her in the box. And she's only like 4-5 feet, I can't even image what it would be like at 8 feet. The next day I started looking for a snake hook. I hope I get better at handling large snakes, but I am glad you mentioned keeping a certain number of men around. I don't handle her alone and she's not much bigger than some of my corns.
-----
Anna

The Zoo
Corns
1.0 Snow - Cornelius
1.1 Ghost(pastel) - Eek & Boo
0.1 Amel - Scarlet
0.1 Hypo - Nikko
0.1 Anery - Missy
0.1 Hypo Motley - Cordelia aka Cordy
Boas
0.1 Columbian (BCC) - Bella
Lizards
0.0.1 Leopard Gecko - Leo
Rats
0.1 Dumbo Agouti - Moon
1.0 Standard Black - Pluto
Cats
1.1 Siamese - Blue & Fiona
0.1 Gray DMS - Druscilla aka Dru
Horses
1.0 Thourghbred (Hunter/Jumper) - Morgan's Majesty aka Cody

There are people hear who fall to pieces if there corns bite them.Everyone should own a boid or python for at least a couple years.There's nothing more fun than teeth breaking off in your body and them slowly pussing there way out.20 years ago all the big guys were WC and i had a major learning curve.

Yup, I've had a few Retic teeth come out that way. It especially hurt on the knuckles. I started offering the evil creature my forearm to nail because it hurt less. Until I got good with the hook and stick it was a good way to remove it from the cage. Sad, but true...

Colubrids were a huge learning curve for me and this forum probably saved my Corn Snakes' lives a few times - it's been invaluable.

I really enjoy the regular posts from newbies terrified of getting "hit" by a corn. I would never make fun of them but I get a good laugh out of it every time!

HF1

The pet Retics usually stay around 20 feet from what I've seen & read, but that's still a lot of snake. As for their temperament, like many snakes, it varies between individuals. I've seen retics that are as sweet as honey and others that are Satan's spawn. Like with any of the giant constrictors, care needs to be taken and the owner needs to be responsible. They aren't for everyone, but they are beautiful.

Raven