Update on my Burmese

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by lemon

With wild snakes some growth between the age of 10-20 could be possble but i know with retics in captiity ive never known one to grow past 13 years of age.

Do you proof of intermediate lengths of animals measured on a yearly basis after 13 years of age? If so, how many years was this tried? I'm really curious to have more information for reading.

Sounds like you know a lot of older giants so I'm happy to hear it and sounds like you're the best source for this information in captivity. I'm sincerely interested in the findings.

[lemon]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Do you proof of intermediate lengths of animals measured on a yearly basis after 13 years of age? If so, how many years was this tried? I'm really curious to have more information for reading.

Sounds like you know a lot of older giants so I'm happy to hear it and sounds like you're the best source for this information in captivity. I'm sincerely interested in the findings.

The keeper I know use to run a rescue and has had literally hundreds and hundreds in his care over the years.

He currentley has snakes aged between 7-28 years. The longest one grew all the way up to 13 years of age but unfortunatley hasnt grown an inch since. He has many that have stopped growing at ages 9-11 and even a few that have stopped at age 7. I believe its because each one can only genetically get so big and due to different environmental factors and feeding schedules they have all reached their max at different points of time. Though I do believe a serveley stunted animal could have a 2nd growth spurt but this would have to happen at a youngish age and not at 20 years of age etc. I can also confirm one if his giants stopped growing at age 7 but then started growing again 18 months later. In the wild it would more than likely take longer to grow to its max as food isnt readily available like it is in captivity and they would use a lot more energy throughout the day. Also in the wild snakes die very rarely of old age and therefore probably still are growing up to the day they die. But out of al the hundreds of snakes that he has owned between 2 years and nearly 30 years of age none of them have grown past the age of 13 and even that particular snake was on its own as the majority of the others stopped growing a lot earlier. I've personally never had a snake grown past the age of 10.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by lemon

The keeper I know use to run a rescue and has had literally hundreds and hundreds in his care over the years.

He currentley has snakes aged between 7-28 years. The longest one grew all the way up to 13 years of age but unfortunatley hasnt grown an inch since. He has many that have stopped growing at ages 9-11 and even a few that have stopped at age 7. I believe its because each one can only genetically get so big and due to different environmental factors and feeding schedules they have all reached their max at different points of time. Though I do believe a serveley stunted animal could have a 2nd growth spurt but this would have to happen at a youngish age and not at 20 years of age etc. I can also confirm one if his giants stopped growing at age 7 but then started growing again 18 months later. In the wild it would more than likely take longer to grow to its max as food isnt readily available like it is in captivity and they would use a lot more energy throughout the day. Also in the wild snakes die very rarely of old age and therefore probably still are growing up to the day they die. But out of al the hundreds of snakes that he has owned between 2 years and nearly 30 years of age none of them have grown past the age of 13 and even that particular snake was on its own as the majority of the others stopped growing a lot earlier. I've personally never had a snake grown past the age of 10.

Well seems like we're both kind of right.

I definitely wish there was a full study on this somewhere or that one would be done. I have taken to measuring my 12+ year old ball pythons to see their size over the next few years. My male albino currently measures in at 54 inches.

I say we both seem kind of right because in your experience they seem to stop growing at quite an older age than most people would say they "max out" at. A lot of people say this number is within 3 or 4 years whereas your experiences show average seems to be 10! Much farther along than a lot of people think. Rather interesting anyway.

[lemon]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Well seems like we're both kind of right.

I definitely wish there was a full study on this somewhere or that one would be done. I have taken to measuring my 12+ year old ball pythons to see their size over the next few years. My male albino currently measures in at 54 inches.

I say we both seem kind of right because in your experience they seem to stop growing at quite an older age than most people would say they "max out" at. A lot of people say this number is within 3 or 4 years whereas your experiences show average seems to be 10! Much farther along than a lot of people think. Rather interesting anyway.

I do think most of their growth is in the first 4-6 years but definitley agree their not normally fully grown by then. Well, I've never experienced or known a snake to have stopped growing at this age no matter how well fed.

But I agree is someone that has access to a larger pool of snakes could take the time to do a full investigaton that would be great .