Open wide!

I put this on earlier, as the email it came in stated that the photos were from Oz and it might indicate another reason for choosing NZ over Oz. I even checked it out on Snopes, which confirmed that the photos were true and not modified.

However, when I took the time to read through all the blurb on Snopes, I found that, although the pictures are true, they were actually taken in Africa and not Oz, so I took the thread back off again.

On reflection I thought 'What the heck', I?ll share it with you anyway. Then you, too, can have nightmares along with me. [img:c2c541fecf]http://www.smilies.smileyville.net/smilies/916.gif[/img:c2c541fecf] After you with the wine, please :030: .

[img:c2c541fecf]http://www.movetonz.org/pics/motherbear_ShowLetter.jpg[/img:c2c541fecf]
[img:c2c541fecf]http://www.movetonz.org/pics/motherbear_snake.jpg[/img:c2c541fecf]

Just how big is that fella? Looks like a couple of metres to me. Is he reported to be poisonous, or just nasty?

[color=green:a04a2b70e5]With jaws and fangs like that, who needs to be poisonous? [img:a04a2b70e5]http://www.smilies.smileyville.net/smilies/923.gif[/img:a04a2b70e5] [/color:a04a2b70e5]

'The Rock python is Africa's largest snake. The rock python eats mammals and birds.

Lays up to 100 eggs about the size of a tennis ball in antbear (Aardvark) holes, hollow tree or similar suitable place. The female coils herself around the eggs to protect them.

The snake in this picture had eaten a full grown Impala ewe and, sadly, caught itself in an electric fence. Over four metres in length, this was a large specimen. When the python was skinned we found a full grown Impala ewe had just been swallowed.

The python kills its prey by coiling itself around the animal and constricting it. When the animal is dead the python swallows it normally head first.Having swallowed its prey, the snake will find an abandoned burrow or hollow tree in which to hide and digest its meal.

A python's bite is not poisonous but would be very painful.'

[img:a04a2b70e5]http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/tiere/k038.gif[/img:a04a2b70e5]

But at least it's probably not as inclined to bite for the heck of it, like a viper. ...Four metres?!? Yowza.

Good thing creature like this snake are not common in NZ. I would collapse first even before the snake attacks. :120: + :118: = :smiley11:
Pulsarblu

I like snakes in general, but not quite that big or toothsome.

[quote:fdb93059ff="Pulsarblu"]Good thing creature like this snake are not common in NZ. [/quote:fdb93059ff]

If I remember rightly, there aren't any snakes in NZ. I'm glad about that, as it's one creature I really can't feel comfortable around for some reason.

No NZ snakes that I know of. I grew up being fascinated by critters like snakes, so I have no heebie-jeebies about them. But I certainly respect the feeling. If I'm ever offered an interaction with a tarantula, I will be nervous, even though I know they're generally mellow.