[spetznaz]

The above is a 20 foot long Burmese called 'Baby.' Obviously one can see why most people cannot keep large constrictors ....they tend to grow.

In most cases 'Baby' would have been released into the wild by its owner LONG before it grew to such a size. Usually it is as the article states ....when the snakes gets longer than a couple of feet people freak out, and because zoos already have more than enough Burmese pythons, they release them itno the wild (zoos have more than enough Burmese ....now, if you had a Reticulated or an African Rock they might be willing to accept them, but those 2 pythons are by far more aggressive than the Burmese, which is why virtually all pythons owned by most collectors are either the Burmese, which can get large but will usually not try to eat you; or the Ball python, which is nice and compact).

Anyways, someday someone will get a nasty surprise. It will be almost funny. Almost.

If people read how large constrictors kill their prey I think fewer would be rushing to get the larger constrictors. The cool factor would quickly become the respect factor.

[Wristpin]

Time to ban these nonindigenous exotic pets. Can't these idiots be happy with a common rat snake? The Snakehead fish is wreaking havoc in lakes and rivers and is spreading.

[ken5050]

As the gator population is exploding in Florida, you'd thik that juvenile crocs woulds be a good food source for the mature snakes, and younger snakes would be eaten by the croc...In the Amazon basin...the anacodas live mainly on cayman and capibara...and we are starting to get a nutria problem in the south.. I think this one balances itself out..

[Conspiracy Guy]

Being crushed to death just doesn't have the appeal it once had.

[Ken H]

...which is why virtually all pythons owned by most collectors are either the Burmese, which can get large but will usually not try to eat you;

It's an iron clad rule in my house not to have pets who try to eat people.

[aruanan]

If people read how large constrictors kill their prey I think fewer would be rushing to get the larger constrictors. The cool factor would quickly become the respect factor.

I remember reading about some guy with a big snake who woke up at night feeling suffocated and found that his face was in his snake's mouth.