Burmese Python Facts

The Burmese python is amongst largest snakes in the world. This subspecies of the Indian python is one of the 6 large snakes. The snake is native to South and South Eastern parts of Asia. Burmese python can be found in a variety of habitats including water, trees and areas near water sources. The average length of these pythons is 3.7 m; however, they can reach as much as 5.8 m length. Let us find more Burmese python facts through information presented below.

Facts about the Burmese Python

The interesting Burmese python facts presented through following paragraphs should help understand more about these creatures.

• The skin color of Burmese pythons is light and covered in brown blotches. These brown colored blotches have black colored border.
• The unique pattern of blotches makes these snakes appear attractive.
• The pattern of skin color in these pythons is similar to that of African rock pythons. The slight difference is difficult to mark out. Burmese python have a prehensile tail. They are also good climbers.
• The different countries in South Asia where Burmese pythons are found include Myanmar, India (eastern), Bhutan (western), Nepal, Bangladesh (southeast), China (south), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Indonesia.
• The Burmese python is a good swimmer. It is therefore, found in the vicinity of water. The habitats of this python include grasslands, swamps, marshes, woodlands, rocky foothills, jungles and river valleys.
• Nocturnal behavior is exhibited by these pythons that dwell in rain forest areas. These reptiles traverse different areas like swamps, climb on trees and etc, when they are young. However, as they grow up, movement gets restricted.
• As stated earlier, these big snakes are also good swimmers; they also possess the capacity to stay submerged in water for a period over half an hour.
• Most of the day's time is spent in hiding under bushes by the pythons. In the cold season, these creatures stay inside hollow tree trunks, under the rocks, holes in river banks and etc.
• The behavior of pythons to stay in such protected areas during winter months is termed as brumation. It is different from hibernation in the sense that development of reproductive organs takes place during brumation.
• Breeding of Burmese pythons takes place in spring season. These snakes lay their eggs during months of March and April; the number of eggs laid by the pythons ranges from 12-36 in number.
• The mother snake stays with eggs for incubating them. Once, the eggs hatch, the mother snake doesn't provide further care to the young ones. The young pythons stays inside hatched eggs until they are strong enough to face to outer world.
• The Burmese python snakes feed on both animals and birds. Mechanism of constriction is used by these snakes in killing the prey. Teeth (rearward) are used as a weapon by the Burmese pythons to seize the prey. Seizing is followed by wrapping body around the prey (and contracting the muscles).
• Staying in places of human habitation eases the pythons' search for prey (rats, mice and etc). Large pythons feed on bigger animals like goats and pigs.
• Digestive system of pythons is flexible to the changes resulting from fasting and also after ingestion of food. The intestinal size and acidity of the fasting pythons reduces to a great extent. Changes that can be observed immediately after food ingestion are acid production, hypertrophy of intestines, increase in size of ventricles (40%).
• Shedding of skin is an important phase in the lives of pythons and snakes in general. The Burmese pythons if exposed to extreme levels (high/low) of humidity (at the time of shedding) can contract infections. The Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) is one such disease which affects the central nervous system of python. The spider mite transmits this disease. 

By Shashank Nakate