Is 17-foot-long albino python UK’s longest pet?
Pythons kill by coiling around their prey and suffocating it and have even been known to eat deer and alligators but, to the Rice family, their 5.2m (17ft) long snake called Lilly is the perfect companion and quite a conversation starter.
She needs a giant heated tank to sleep in and, when she’s sliding across the Rices’ garden, must be kept under constant supervision.
They don’t want to terrify their neighbours or have to pay compensation for ‘missing’ cats and dogs.
According to Kim Rice, 45, Lilly’s charms are there for all to see.
‘She has a wonderful personality and is very placid and is so laid back that children love her. Lilly is much less trouble to keep than my two dogs.
‘We can let her wonder around the garden, particularly on the grass on a hot day, which she loves.
‘But we do need to make sure she is watched at all times,’ added Mrs Rice from Guyhirn, Cambridgeshire. ‘If she wandered off she would give someone the fright of their lives.
‘We bought Lilly when she was a baby. She is seven years old now which means she is still growing. We think one day she will reach about 20ft long.’
At least the family aren’t being eaten out of house and home. Lilly needs just one rabbit every three weeks.
Chloe Rice, 16, has enrolled in an animal college to study reptile care. She hopes to become a head keeper at a zoo. ‘One day I hope I can care for more giant animals like her,’ she said.
Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/909544-is-17-foot-long-albino-python-uk-s-longest-pet#ixzz24b0l6EmN
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