Large snakes of the planet. Mesh Python

Python is a snake rivaling the anaconda for the right to be called the longest and largest in the world. Due to the fact that today there are no precise and reliable measurements, this dispute continues. It should be said that the mesh python can reach a length of up to ten meters. This allowed him to maintain the championship for an extended period. However, some time ago, the length of the anaconda was fixed - eleven meters forty-three centimeters. She began to occupy the first place.

The python skin along the back has patches of light brown rhombic rounded shape. They are bounded on each side by a crenellated band of dark brown color. This strip consists, in turn, of triangular spots connected to each other, with small fields of light shade.

The mesh python is distributed throughout the Great Sunda Islands, through Southeast Asia from South Burma to the Southern Philippines, areas on the Lesser Sunda and Moluccas (including the island of Timor) islands.

Reptiles live in dense forests and in developed territories. Sometimes a reticulated python occurs on the banks of rivers and in the courtyards of large cities.

Specialists note their tendency to climb trees. In addition, the mesh python floats beautifully both in rivers and in open seas. In this connection, probably, they are distributed over the territory of all small islands of the Sunda archipelago.

The mesh python became the first animal that settled in Karatau after a major eruption in 1888.

It feeds, as a rule, small rodents and hoofed animals, reptiles and various birds. In addition, the python diet includes pets: chickens, dogs, goats, pigs and other livestock of medium size. Despite the fact that this reptile is considered dangerous for humans, there are no reliably recorded cases of attacks on people. As a rule, the python avoids meeting people. This is mainly due to the fact that an adult does not fit his size as food. The largest prey that the python swallows, and then with great difficulty, are goats and pigs.

Females lay ten to one hundred eggs, out of which snakes with a length of about sixty centimeters. The cubs grow quite fast. In the fourth or fifth year they already reach a length of three meters and become sexually mature.

In captivity, mesh pythons have a short life span - not more than twenty-one years. Animals are kept in horizontal terrariums. This is due to the fact that they lead a predominantly terrestrial way of life. The size of the terrarium depends on the size of the snake itself. As a rule, it is built in sizes of 500x500x300 centimeters. There are several strong branches in the terrarium. This will allow the full use of the entire volume of this capacity. The temperature of keeping the animals is between twenty-eight and thirty-two degrees Celsius during the day.

The humidity level in the terrarium must be high enough. For this, spraying is carried out, water-retaining soils are applied or a swimming pool is built in.