Golden Python

The Golden Python (scientific name: Python bivittatus) is an albino mutation species of the Burmese python, which is a very rare variant. The adult Golden Python can grow up to about 7 meters in length. In the wild, if a Golden Python has the opportunity to mate with another Golden Python, it will pass on its unique genes to the next generation. However, this chance is very small, making the Golden Python extremely rare. It is mainly found in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and northern Thailand.

The Golden Python was discovered by Americans in 1981 and by 1983 it was being bred in stable quantities, spreading all over the world. It is legal to raise as a pet in European and American countries.

Not recommended for domestication

1. Acute pneumonia

One of the common diseases in snakes. It is characterized by difficulty in breathing, mouth open, unwillingness to feed, long stays outside the nest, and a relatively sudden onset of illness that can cause mass deaths when severe. It often occurs during the period when the female snake lays eggs or gives birth to offspring, during which time the body is weak and does not ingest food or water. In addition, the hot and humid weather makes the snake more susceptible to illness. Prevention and control measures include providing sufficient clean water for the female snake during the egg-laying (offspring) period, ensuring good ventilation, and reducing the surrounding temperature.

2. Mold disease

Common in captive snakes, especially pit vipers and ladder snakes. This disease often occurs in poor living environments with limited activity and high humidity. The main preventive measures are to keep the snake's habitat dry and provide them with a certain range of activities. Regularly sweep the floor with lime to absorb moisture or wrap lime in paper and place it on one side of the snake's nest, replacing it regularly.

Treatment: Apply 2% iodine tincture to the infected snake's body twice a day. Alternatively, soak the snake in a permanganate potassium solution. It can be cured after one week. Mold disease should be detected and treated early, as late-stage treatment is not effective.

3. Parasites

There are many types of parasitic infections in snake bodies, including tapeworms, nematodes, cestodes, and roundworms, as well as ticks and mites on their skin.

Treatment methods: Oral administration of veterinary insecticide solution, with dosage based on the snake's weight, for 5 consecutive days, can kill or expel various parasites in the body. In addition, products such as Albendazole, Levamisole, and Dichlorophenol can be used. For ticks and mites on the skin, place the snake in a nylon bag and soak it in the veterinary insecticide solution for 10 minutes. After the ticks and mites die and fall off, rinse the skin with water.

4. Snake stomatitis

It is almost the most common disease in snakes. Stomatitis is more common in venomous snakes because extracting venom can easily cause oral injuries. Improper repeated venom extraction methods and careless operations can easily trigger stomatitis. During hibernation, some bacteria are prone to invade the cheek area and cause stomatitis. During the feeding season, injuries or swallowing of large prey can also cause oral injuries and induce stomatitis. If the snake is artificially fed, the incidence of stomatitis is even higher. The main manifestations are swelling of the upper and lower jaws, inability to open or close the mouth, affecting feeding. Sometimes the gingiva and frontal part of the mouth become red (normally pale), and in severe cases, there may be purulent discharge in some tooth sockets. Eventually, due to the spread of inflammation, the snake cannot ingest water, leading to exhaustion and death.

The Golden Python likes a high-temperature environment and inhabits monsoon forests, dry forests, and open grasslands. They also like to soak in water, so Taiwan is more suitable for their growth. Although the Golden Python has a gentle personality, it belongs to the python species and can grow up to 5 meters in length, which is not suitable for domestication.

Their living habits are similar to the Burmese python, but the difference is that most Burmese pythons are wild individuals with stronger disease resistance than the Golden Python. Golden Pythons bred in captivity have weaker immune systems as they come from aseptic breeding farms and are prone to bacterial infections. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the quality of their food during feeding.