The world’s largest slithering snake is sure to send a tingle down your spine.
There are over 3,000 snake species found around the world, according to National Geographic, that all have their own unique characteristics.
The world’s longest snake is the reticulated python, according to the National History Museum, not to be confused with the world’s heaviest, the green anaconda.
Reticulated pythons are the world’s longest snakes. (Philippe Clement/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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Read more about the reticulated python below.
- What is the longest snake ever recorded?
- Where do reticulated pythons live?
- Are reticulated pythons venomous?
- What is the world’s heaviest snake?
1. What is the longest snake ever recorded?
The longest snake, a reticulated python, was found in 1912, and was a whopping 32 feet, 9.5 inches, according to Guinness World Records.
As for the longest snake that was ever in captivity, that would be a reticulated python named Medusa.
Medusa was owned by Full Moon Productions Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Guinness World Records.
Reticulated pythons live in Southeast Asia, where they seek a wet, tropical climate. (myLoupe/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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Medusa was measured on Oct. 12, 2011, and was 25 feet, 2 inches long.
2. Where do reticulated pythons live?
Reticulated pythons live in Southeast Asia, according to the National History Museum.
The snakes have been found in habitats in Indonesia, India and China, per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
A wet, tropical climate is what reticulated pythons prefer, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They are usually found near rivers, streams and other bodies of water, per the source.
Reticulated pythons prey on pigs, birds and more. (Axel Heimken/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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3. Are reticulated pythons venomous?
Reticulated pythons are non-venomous, according to the Vanderbilt Museum.
The diet of a reticulated python includes rodents for younger snakes, and pigs, civets and birds for older ones, per the source.
Pythons capture prey by squeezing tightly and suffocating their victims, according to San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants.
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Pythons then swallow their prey whole, per the source.
4. What is the world’s heaviest snake?
The title of the world’s heaviest snake goes to green anacondas, according to the National History Museum.
Green anacondas can be 20 to 30 feet in length, and can weigh over 550 pounds, according to National Geographic.
The largest snakes in terms of weight are green anacondas. (Sylvain CORDIER/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Marshes, swamps and streams in tropical rainforests are where green anacondas are typically found, with wild pigs, deer, birds, turtles, capybara, caimans and jaguars all on their menu, per the source.
