Burmese Python - Python molurus bivittatus

[Dee474]

I bought a Burm in July 2005 from a wellknown local dealer... till date it is only just over 1,2m in length, eats well , actually more that normal , 2 rats per week, but does not grow as I expected... can anybody perhaps advise re this... is it perhaps a gene defect or could it just be that it has "dwarf" genes... the animal has no parasites and the fact that it was bought from a wellknown dealer might rule out the possibility of a interbred animal, etc.... will post pics on Monday when back in the office...

[mw-glenn]

I had 2 sibling burms and the one grew alot quicker than the other, it was litterally double the size after 2 years, althought the smaller one was more sickley.

[mania]

Is your burm a male because ive got a similar problem with my one and it is a male and i've heard that males are smaller than females. Just my 2cents but not sure if thats the reason tho

[Bushviper]

As with all animals some will be larger or smaller than others. The chances that it is a "dwarf" are quite good as I have seen "dwarfs" here before even though they did not live more than 4 or 5 years and would never breed.

Small in stature happens in various animals we keep like bunnies and others. The opposite is also possible like Maine Coon cats.

The genetics could be simple (hetero for "small) or more complicated.

If you look at Froot and Tatiana they are both very "vertically challenged". I would not call their daughter double het for "vertically challenged" but the chances are good that she will stay "close to the ground".

Try getting a mate from the same breeder and the same parents and you could eventually be producing "Midget" burmese.

[froot]

LMAO! Pleased we could help

[undignified_001]

LMAO, OK, so i guess froot is a little person by that description... must admit... it is a good way of describing hets and double hets...

[mania]

I've just found this information in the care sheets that i've saved over the year so don't know what website it comes from so hope it might help. "Burmese pythons have been extensively studied under captive conditions. It has been found that they are able to grow to sexual maturity very quickly in captivity. Herpetoculturists feed them in the best conditions, and at the end of one year they are anywhere from 6 to 9 1/2 feet. At the end of a year and a half, they measure from 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 feet. Soon after this, they are bred and consequently, the rate of growth slows gradually down with each passing year. Sometimes, these pythons will all of a sudden start growing very quickly after a long span of slow growth. This has been attributed to the genetic background of the python as well as to how it has been bred along with its feeding habits.

[Q Ball]

Surley if that was it then the snake would've had grouth periods with stagnant growth periods allready

[Bushviper]

I have yet to see a burmese python reach three metres in one year. There is no way that the snake was fed normally and will live long.

[mania]

Ok I have no clue I just posted what I found. It also sounded a bit weird to me that they grow so big

[snake-5]

Iv heard of some guy keeping his snake @ 32 deg celsius and feeding it every 3-5 days, he claims it hit 3m in a year then died about 2 months later (wonder why)

[Bushviper]

Snake-5 maybe the snake was ony of those snakes that only live for a year like a daisy.

[Dee474]

"Nelson's" permt was issued on 15 July 2005.. the tape measure should give an idea of his size... the pics were taken just before he shed

[Dee474]

The first pics might be misleading, was just to indicate the size of his head
in the second pic his head is on the 110Cm mark ...

[undignified_001]

Stunning burm... good luck with him...