Burmese Python
Habitat: Tropical forests of Southeast Asia
Diet: Small birds and mammals
Zoo Diet: RatsBurmese Pythons grow to 18 feet in length and around 200 pounds in weight. Frequently sold as babies in pet stores, these large constrictors are difficult to care for and can be dangerous to novice keepers. Female Burmese Pythons wrap around their clutches of eggs and protect and incubate them until hatching which is rare in the reptile world. Normally brown, golden and tan in coloration, these snakes are very well camouflaged. Mill Mountain Zoo exhibits not only normally colored Burmese Pythons, but also one that is amelanistic. Similar to albinism, amelanism is a genetic trait that inhibits the production of certain skin pigments and gives animals a yellowish appearance.