Informantion on Green Anacondas

Information you should know before buying an Anaconda.

By matthew n from west yorkshire on Sunday 20th January 2008

Basic Anaconda Facts:

This snake isn't quite the largest in the world, however it is the heaviest. A 25ft long reticulated python would weigh about 258lb whereas a Green Anaconda of the same length could weigh up to 550lb!

Its average length is about 18ft, due to lack of protection in the wild this snake rarely lives longer than 15 years. Be warned this snake can live as long as 50 years if this happens you could end up with a giant record breaker on your hands!!

Handling Points:

These animals can eat a fully grown buffalo in the wild. Handling should not be done without at least 2 extra pairs of hands. Always go for the head when grabbing it if not it will bite you and it can't pull away. Its teeth point backwards so you have to go further into this monster before you can come out.

Feeing:

This snake has a big appetite and will grow fast on big food. As sad as it is, live food is always best, as the anaconda grows it will need bigger food but less often. A good guide for a baby (50cm-90cm) a duckling sized meal. (100cm-300cm) a rat-rabbit, (300cm-600cm) a chicken-goose. It takes an anaconda along time to digest its food, during the first week of digestion leave it alone as it may regurgitate its meal.

Mating/Reproduction:

I don't advise breading an animal that has the natural instinct to form mating balls of one female and about five males. But if you want to do it then you'll need to set up a very wet, very muddy ditch that can fit your female and her eligible partners in with ease.

When the female has selected her mate she will mate, her young will develop inside her. Size determines the amount of young she will produce e.g. 16ft snake will produce about 30-40 young. It takes the young 6 months to develop, during this time the female will not eat! When she gives birth leave her to eat the undeveloped eggs and still bourns as these will give her some drastically needed energy. After she's eaten, take away the live young as she will want nothing more to do with them other than eat them. After they've been removed treat them like a newly bought snake give them a feed (chick).

Final Word:

Don't get this species of snake unless...

• You have a custom made vivarium/converted bedroom.
• Can afford to buy it's food and maintain it correctly.
• Aren't squeamish when it comes to giving this snake live animals.