The Python Story You Have All Been Waiting For :)

Somehow the word got out that Ms. Anne the Reticulated Python who weighs 300 pounds would be allowed to eat for the first time in like 6 weeks. Eat a dead pig, that is! Everyone in a 300 mile radius was in the herpetarium (snake house) at 1 pm anticipating the big devour. Seriously, it was the largest crowd they had ever had. We actually got there 30 minutes prior and still couldn't see a darn thing. We waited til they did a little crowd control and formed a line that went all through the snake house and outside. After standing in the stifling room for about 45 minutes, we were finally able to get a quick glimpse of Anne. Just imagine being in a room so crowded that you could not exit if it were necessary. Now throw in the fact that you are constantly staring down your children lest they slip away from you never to be seen again. Throw in the smells that humans generate on hot, humid days and cram it into a small space. Next, toss in the fact that there are huge venemous snakes on either side of you (behind glass cages, of course) just waiting to strike. Add to it a husband who gets a little irritated in situations that aren't handled with any sense of order or competence. The end result? Pure joy.

When we finally got our turn, we were a little puzzled as to why the pig lay off to one side while the python seemed non-interested. Then we got a better look at Ms. Anne. She had a full mouth grip on herself. Not having biology degrees, we decided to find out what provoked such odd behavior. Get this! She tried to strike the pig and missed! She hit herself, instead. The zoo herpetarium lady said her skin is so tough it wouldn't hurt her, but you should have seen her! There was some definite confusion going on as she was not letting go any too soon. I am not sure that zoo life has been too kind on Anne's sanity and hunting ability!

The first two pictures above are of Anne a couple hours before the feeding. They had the pig in the room behind her with its lovely smell wafting through the air in order to tell her it is feeding day. And she was ready! Moving all over that cage, with her head looking us up and down. Eerie. I assured her it wasn't me that smelled like the pig, but after being out in the hot sun for a few hours, I don't think she believed me. Oh, I learned what "reticulated" means. It refers to a "net", being the type of pattern on her. There is even such a thing as a reticulated giraffe.

Apparently, Anne got things figured out later in the day. When we circled back by the snake house, someone said she had managed to get the front hooves down. Just the image you wanted on your nice Sunday afternoon, huh? Sweet dreams.