The Paraguayan anaconda is the smallest among the representatives of the genus, but this snake still looks quite impressive. She is not poisonous and has never been convicted of cannibalism, but you should not engage in confrontation with her. This snake attracts exotic lovers, professional serpentologists, zoo owners and private breeders. But each of them admits that deep down they treat the object of their interest with apprehension.
Our article will tell you about what these creatures are interesting for, how they live in the wild, what difficulties their maintenance entails.
Description of the Paraguayan anaconda
The length of an adult female can reach 4 meters or more, but within the species, such giant sizes are considered rare. Most representatives of the Paraguayan species grow in length to no more than 3-3.5 meters. Males are smaller than their relatives, but in general, sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed.
The body is painted in warm sand tones, for which this snake is often called the yellow anaconda. On the back there are multiple oval or saddle-shaped large spots.dark color, on the sides they are lighter and smaller.
The nostrils and eyes of the Paraguayan anaconda are set high. This is due to the fact that the snake spends a lot of time in the water, but breathes air. It is convenient for her to monitor the situation by slightly sticking her muzzle out of the water.
Habitat of the Paraguayan anaconda
On what continent this snake lives, you can easily guess by its name. Her homeland is South America. You can meet such a snake in Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, northern Brazil, and also in some parts of Argentina.
The snake lives only where there are shaded ponds and damp thickets around them.
Behavior and lifestyle
Like all relatives of the genus anacondas, the Paraguayan is a predator. It is active almost at any time of the day, but prefers to hunt at night and at dusk. In the dry season, it crawls into the silt and falls into a kind of stupor. This is not really hibernation, just the activity of the reptile is reduced.
She prefers to forage in the water. It rarely comes ashore, and even then it does not crawl far from its native lake. Able to climb trees, sometimes basking in the branches.
The diet includes mammals, waterfowl, reptiles and reptiles. Likes anaconda and fishing. Serpentologists have repeatedly observed how this snake enters into fights: having a very solid build, it can overcome even a young crocodile. But only the jaguar hunts her.
Eat no more than oneevery few days.
In their natural environment, anacondas of this species prefer to stay alone. They tolerate each other's company only during the mating season.
Reproduction in the wild occurs annually. This species, like the rest of the genus, is viviparous. The female brings from 10 to 30 cubs.
Aggressiveness
Data on this trait vary. It is probably not inherent in the whole species, but individual individuals can behave quite boldly. It never attacks a person first, but it will certainly drive away a particularly persistent tourist or biologist. Juveniles tend to be more active than older snakes.
Captivity
The Paraguayan anaconda is not the kind of snake that an exotic lover should start with. It requires a lot of investment. A young anaconda will cost an average of 20-25 thousand rubles, no less amount will have to be paid for the terrarium and equipment for it. It is demanding to feed, it is impossible to feed it with leftovers.
As a dwelling, a large horizontal terrarium is needed, 2/3 filled with water. Berezhok is laid out with pebbles, coconut substrate, bark. Above the water, it is desirable to install a snag on which the snake could climb.
You will need a special UV lamp, a heater, thermometers for cold and warm corners, an additional water thermometer, a fog generator, a humidity sensor, thermostats, a thermal mat. An electronic sprayer is desirable (handling a large terrarium regularly can be difficult) and an artificial waterfall.
Diurnal animals are used as feedquails, week-old rats and other rodents, fish. Required special food for reptiles with a balanced composition, which includes vitamins and trace elements.
Water changes and cleaning should be done at least once a week. To do this, you will need not only a special tool, but also a voluminous container into which a pet could be transplanted.
Is reproduction possible
It is worth getting ready for the potential owner and the fact that he is unlikely to be able to recoup the invested funds. From the Paraguayan anacondas, even scientists from the world's leading zoos get offspring with great difficulty. For example, in none of the Russian zoos for several decades there was not a single case of the birth of babies in a pair of anacondas.
The serpentologists of the Moscow Zoo were the first to achieve success: offspring were obtained when the female was delivered to them by colleagues from St. Petersburg. Scientists perceived the birth of babies as a sensation, and today the Paraguayan anacondas living in serpentaria in Russia and neighboring countries are, to one degree or another, descendants of the offspring of that pair of snakes. This suggests that even the most diligent breeder will face enormous challenges.
And yet there is a chance. We are convinced of this by the story that took place in 2016 in the serpentarium of the Leningrad Zoo. Employees once just discovered that newborn babies were swimming in the pool with anacondas. That is, no efforts were made by employees for the sake of obtaining offspring, the snakes themselves decided that it was time for themhave children.
But despite all the difficulties, costs and difficulties, the Paraguayan anaconda is a pet that many dream of. This is a really solid snake, very beautiful and characteristic, which is interesting to watch.
