how big do pythons and boas really get

8/3/2019 How Big Do Pythons and Boas Really Get

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How big do Pythons and Boas Really Get?

The actual maximum size of the large constrictors has been a debate for a long time.

There are many conflicting accounts on the size of pythons and boas. It was not

uncommon for naturalists to claim to have found Pythons and Boas measuring over 20

meters in length. These sizes were reported mostly by 19 th century explorers whoseexpeditions would be incomplete without tales of monstrous snakes. These snakes were

killed and due to there size could not be preserved to confirm the claims of their

discoverers. The size of a python or boa can be over estimated due to the girth of thesnake. Assumptions can be made that because the snake has a large girth that it must be

very long, this is often not the case as the snake may be gravid or has just fed. The lack of

preserved specimens and accurate eyewitness accounts point to the fact that these snakeswere not the length that was reported. The last of these huge python discovery stories

stopped around fifty years ago, whether this is because of more accurate measuring

techniques, more humble naturalists or extermination by humans is unknown. In captivitysnakes grow longer and quicker as they are kept at optimal temperatures all year round

and are fed large weekly meals. If a record size snake is found it will most likely be incaptivity somewhere, as snakes in the wild would probably be killed before they can

reach the 9 meter plus length. I have made a list of the six biggest pythons and boas thatformed the basis of the stories of the monster serpents. I have given the most accurate and

commonly accepted lengths.

List of the big six and maximum length thereof

Green Anaconda

There has been a report of a Green Anaconda reaching 18.9m long, this snake was shotby a British colonel in Brazil in 1907. This snake would have been unable to support its

own weight on land and therefore its reported length was not accurate. The most realistic

reports of the Green Anacondas length are just over 10m.


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Reticulated Python

There are far more accurate reports of the size of the Reticulated Python. There arereports of Reticulated Pythons reaching a length of around 8.5m these are quit accurate

and a live specimen of this size was in the possession of an animal dealer in 1905.

Another specimen that grew to 7.6m in length and was displayed at the National Zoo inWashington and was the largest snake ever to be on display at this zoo.

Burmese Python

There are reliable records of this snake approaching 6m. There is a Burmese Pythonmeasuring 5.84m housed in the collection of the Bombay Natural History Society which

was shot as well as two specimens of 5.8m which were shot in Sri Lanka. There are less

reliable reports of this snake reaching 7.6m.


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The African Python

This snake is the only large python in Africa and the largest snake on the continent. The

Largest size that has been reported for this snake is 7.6m. It was rare forty to fifty yearsago to see a specimen of over 6m let alone today. The average length of an adult is

regarded to be 4.6-4.9m. The taxonomical status of this species has changed since these

records were made. The species we have in South Africa has now been renamed the

Southern African Python.

The Amethystine Python

This is the largest python in Australia and a relative of the Carpet Python. Adults average

3-3.7m or less. However there have been reports of this snake reaching much larger sizes.

There have been reports of a specimen of 8.5m and one of 7.2m. This Python is not aheavily built snake and is slender in comparison with the other giant pythons. This snake

is rarely available for sale in the pet trade and I have not seen one of these pythons for

sale or in a snake park. Please tell me if you know of a snake park or zoo that has thissnake on display as I would really like to see one.


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The Common Boa

The Common Boa is not regarded as the largest species of snake on the planet. Eventhough, many uneducated people think of huge man eating snake at the mere mention of

the word boa constrictor. The largest recorded size for a boa constrictor was 5.64m this

specimen was shot by a malaria control work party in Trinidad during the Second WorldWar. These snakes remains were not preserved to allow for further study. This record

has been dismissed as the snake was probably an anaconda as it was found in a habitat

that is unsuitable for boa constrictors. The accepted maximum recorded size for thissnake is 4.5m. Most boa constrictors reach around 3m.

Bibliography: The Encyclopedia of Snakes by Chris Mattison

how big do pythons and boas really get

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