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Python
Morulus Research and Literature
I am starting
a collection of the literature involving Burmese and other relevant
pythons for the convienience of the ambitious or science minded Burmese
lovers out there. I'll post more articles as I encounter them.
Most of these files are pdf's so Adobe's
Acrobat Reader is required.
Molecular
genetic evidence for parthenogenesis in the Burmese python, Python
molurus bivittatus.
New
genetic research shows that Burmese pythons may be capable of parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis is unisexual reproduction where eggs develop without
being fertilized by a spermatozoon. This means that there's a possibility
your solo female will lay some eggs on her own some day. They will
all be females and genetically identical to the mother.
Osteomyelitis
associated with Salmonella enterica ss arizonae in a colony
of ridgenose rattlesnakes (Crotalus willardi).
Several
intestinal infections by bacteria such as salmonella have been suspected
of causing bone dissease in many different snake species. This research
documents how salmonella may cause progressive and fatal disease
in rattlesnakes. For a long time, veterinarians discouraged prolonging
salmonella infections for the human risk involved with keeping an
infected snake. Now, there is evidence it is destructive to the
snakes as well. We should therefore avoid feeding chickens or other
food items containing salmonella, as well as use antibiotics to
treat infected specimens as salmonella is found through routine
stool samples. A snake with sore bones will be uncomfortable when
handled, do you want your 150lb. Burm feeling uncomfortable when
you've got him out? I have found similar research involving Python
molurus and osteoarthritis but am having difficulty converting
to pdf at this time. Call me if you'd like to know the details!
Ventilatory
and cardiovascular responses of a python (Python molurus) to
excercise and digestion.
Pythons
appear to prefer to hypovetilate during digestion, this opposed
to hyperventilate during excercise. This means they want to decrease
their cardiovascular activities during digestion, yet another reason
to avoid handling them after a meal.
The
effects of fasting duration on the metabolic response to feeding in
Python molurus: An evaluation of the energetic costs associated
with gastrointestinal growth and upregulation.
When
a python consumes a large meal, some of the energy contained in
that meal goes towards the process of digesting it. In general,
the larger the meal, the more energy it will cost the snake to consume
it. This was thought to be because the mass and function of the
gastrointestinal organs must increase in order to digest the large
meal, however this research indicates it must be other processes.
Nevertheless, this research helps people like us better understand
the process of consuming large meals and the relative amount required
before energetic diminishing returns are encountered. It appears
from this research, that Burmese pythons can readily injest a meal
equivilent in size to 25% of their body mass without experiencing
the significant costs associated with consuming 65%. Thus, when
bulk feeding pythons for healthy growth and development, one should
avoid feeding more than 25% total body weight.
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