The reticulated python is the longest snake in the world. Big ones are about 5 to 7 meters long. As of November 2026, zoo pages give 10 meters as the longest on record.

Zoo pages say a python can weigh up to about 75 kilograms, or 165 pounds. Female pythons are larger than males.

These pythons live from western Bangladesh to southeastern Vietnam, and on islands to the south. They live in tropical forests, often near ponds, rivers and streams.

Young pythons spend a lot of time off the ground in trees and bushes. Big adults stay mostly on the ground.

A python hunts by waiting in ambush until food comes close. It has many sharp teeth that curve backwards. It has no venom.

It eats mammals and birds, and big ones can eat animals as large as deer and pigs. A python swallows its food whole. One big meal can last it for several months.

A clutch usually holds about 25 to 50 eggs. Python eggs hatch after about 80 to 90 days. A mother python guards her eggs and defends them against predators.

A newly hatched python is roughly 55 to 75 centimeters long. In the wild, these pythons live about 15 to 22 years.

Words to know

• ambush: wait to catch
• clutch: group of eggs
• predators: animals that hunt
• hatched: came out

The short version

The reticulated python is the longest snake in the world. Big ones are about 5 to 7 meters long, and as of November 2026 zoo pages give 10 meters as the longest on record. It lives in tropical forests in Southeast Asia, often near water.

Quick facts

• Large reticulated pythons are about 5 to 7 meters long.
• Zoo pages say a reticulated python can weigh up to about 75 kilograms (165 pounds).
• A reticulated python has no venom.
• A clutch usually holds about 25 to 50 eggs.
• In the wild, reticulated pythons live about 15 to 22 years.