Pythonidae commonly known as pythons are a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa Asia and Australasia. Member species of this family are some of the largest snakes in the world with somereaching lengths in excess of 6 m (20 ft).
Pythons are ambush predators meaning they typically lie in wait for their prey before attacking. Their diet consists mostly of mammals and birds although they will also consume reptiles amphibians and fish.
Pythons are constrictors meaning they kill their prey by coiling their bodies around it and squeezing it until it suffocates. This method of killing is very efficient and pythons often eat prey that is much larger than they are.
Pythons are found in a variety of habitats including rainforests deserts and savannas. They are generally not found in areas with a lot of human activity.
Pythonidae is divided into two subfamilies the Old World pythonines and the New World pythonines. The Old World pythonines include the genera Python and Acrantophis while the New World pythonines include the genera Loxocemus and Epicrates.
Pythonines are generally more slender than other snakes and have longer necks and shorter tails. They are also distinguished from other snakes by their heat-sensitive pits which are located between the eyes and nostrils. These pits are used to sense the body heat of potential prey and help the python locate its prey in the dark.
Pythonidae is the largest snake family with over 60 described species. The best-known member of this family is the African rock python (Python sebae) which can grow to lengths of 6 m (20 ft) or more. Other popular python species include the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) the reticulated python (Python reticulatus) and the Burmese python (Python molurus).
How can you tell if a snake is venomous?
There are a few ways to tell if a snake is venomous.
One is to look at the shape of its head.
Venomous snakes have a triangular head while nonvenomous snakes have a round head.
Another way to tell is by looking at the snake’s eyes.
Venomous snakes have vertical pupils while nonvenomous snakes have round pupils.
What are the consequences of being bitten by a venomous snake?
Being bitten by a venomous snake can be very dangerous.
Venomous snakes have venom that can cause serious injury or even death.
If you are bitten by a venomous snake you should seek medical help immediately.
What are some of the symptoms of being bitten by a venomous snake?
Some of the symptoms of being bitten by a venomous snake include pain swelling redness and bruising at the site of the bite.
You may also experience nausea vomiting dizziness and difficulty breathing.
How can you prevent being bitten by a venomous snake?
There are a few things you can do to prevent being bitten by a venomous snake.
Avoiding areas where venomous snakes are known to live is one way to decrease your risk.
Wearing long pants and long sleeves when you are in areas where snakes live is also helpful.
What should you do if you are bitten by a venomous snake?
If you are bitten by a venomous snake you should seek medical help immediately.
If you cannot get to a hospital right away try to keep the affected area clean and still to prevent the spread of the venom.
How can you tell if a snake is nonvenomous?
There are a few ways to tell if a snake is nonvenomous.
One is to look at the shape of its head.
Nonvenomous snakes have a round head while venomous snakes have a triangular head.
Another way to tell is by looking at the snake’s eyes.
Nonvenomous snakes have round pupils while venomous snakes have vertical pupils.
What are the consequences of being bitten by a nonvenomous snake?
Being bitten by a nonvenomous snake is not usually dangerous.
Nonvenomous snakes do not have venom that can cause serious injury or death.
However you may still want to seek medical help if you are bitten by a nonvenomous snake just to be safe.
What are some of the symptoms of being bitten by a nonvenomous snake?
Some of the symptoms of being bitten by a nonvenomous snake include pain swelling redness and bruising at the site of the bite.
How can you prevent being bitten by a nonvenomous snake?
There are a few things you can do to prevent being bitten by a nonvenomous snake.
Avoiding areas where nonvenomous snakes are known to live is one way to decrease your risk.
Wearing long pants and long sleeves when you are in areas where snakes live is also helpful.
What should you do if you are bitten by a nonvenomous snake?
If you are bitten by a nonvenomous snake you should seek medical help if you have any concerns.
Otherwise cleaning the wound and applying a bandage is usually all that is needed.
How can venomous and nonvenomous snakes be different?
Venomous and nonvenomous snakes can be different in a few ways.
One way is the shape of their head.
Venomous snakes have a triangular head while nonvenomous snakes have a round head.
Another way they can be different is in their eyes.
Venomous snakes have vertical pupils while nonvenomous snakes have round pupils.
Where do venomous and nonvenomous snakes live?
Both venomous and nonvenomous snakes can be found in a variety of locations.
Venomous snakes are more likely to be found in tropical or subtropical regions while nonvenomous snakes are more likely to be found in temperate regions.
What do venomous and nonvenomous snakes eat?
Both venomous and nonvenomous snakes eat a variety of prey.
Venomous snakes tend to eat mammals while nonvenomous snakes tend to eat reptiles and amphibians.
How can you tell the difference between a venomous and a nonvenomous snake’s fang?
One way to tell the difference between a venomous and a nonvenomous snake’s fang is the size.
Venomous snakes have larger fangs than nonvenomous snakes.
Another way to tell the difference is by the position of the fang.
Venomous snakes have their fangs positioned in the front of their mouths while nonvenomous snakes have their fangs positioned in the back of their mouths.
What is the difference between venom and poison?
Venom is a toxin that is injected into prey by a venomous snake.
Poison is a toxin that is ingested by prey or predators.