You’ll recognize the Burmese Python thanks to the dark brown patches and two lines running horizontally across its head.

Here are 10 fun facts you probably didn’t know about these reptiles. 

Fun Facts about the Burmese Python

1. Burmese Pythons are pro swimmers! Burmese Pythons are excellent swimmers that love spending their time in the water. They can hold their breath underwater for 30 minutes. 
2. Burmese Pythons love hugging. They use their tight squeezing coils to hunt and strangle prey.
3. These guys are long. They can reach anywhere from 16-19 feet.
4. Burmese Pythons love wetlands, coastal plains and forests. They originated in Southeast Asia, India, Indonesia, Southern China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
5. They are picky eaters. Burmese Pythons feed on mammals and birds. The size of a Burmese Python determines the quantity of food it will take. Burmese Pythons can survive for up to four months without eating.
6. Burmese Pythons live a long time. They average 15 to 30 years.
7. These snakes lay a lot of eggs. On average, the clutch sizes are between 30 to 40 eggs. They take about two months to hatch. 
8. Baby Burmese Pythons are not as small as you’d think. They can be anywhere from 15-30 inches long when they hatch.
9. The Albino Burmese Python is almost exclusively a pet. Albino Burmese Pythons have a hard time camouflaging into their environment. Therefore they stand out and are easy to pick by predators. 

Burmese Pythons are found in large numbers in the Florida everglades. The Burmese Python came to Florida after the 1992 Hurricane Andrew that caused wreckage in the US. The hurricane destroyed the breeding facilities of many snakes, so they escaped from homes and zoos in the area.