#dwarf reticulated python

Ivo is the big girl of the shoelace household, and she carries herself with the grace and dignity one would expect of such a classy fellow! (At least until she knocks something over. Or falls off something because she became too curious. Or...)

Facts About Ivo (python reticulatus)

Ivo is an Amelanistic Dwarf Reticulated Python. In layman's terms, that means she shows fewer colors on her body, and stays smaller than other reticulated pythons, too. More technically, Ivo is a cross between the mainland species of reticulated pythons (which are calmer, but get very large!) and the smaller island subspeies of reticulated pythons (which are smaller, but flightier.) While many dwarf morphs (color or pattern changes from the normal "wild-type appearence") are inherited from their mainland parentage, Amel is found naturally in the island subspecies -- and therefore, her coloration comes from that part of her lineage. (For anyone curious, she's of the Steve Fei line of amel dwarf retics.)

While reticulated pythons are native to South-and-Southeast Asia, Ivo is captive-bred and has never lived in the wild.

Ivo is about 5 years old, around 8 feet (2.6m) long, and weighs about 10lbs.

Ivo likes to sit in the shade and take naps.

Ivo also enjoys swimming, and so sometimes she gets to go into the bathtub for a good soak and swim.

Because of her size, Ivo can be quite the handful to manage! It's always a good husbandry practice to have someone nearby in case something happens when handling larger, strong snakes like her. She doesn't realize her own strength sometimes, so it's up to me to make sure her size doesn't cause any trouble!

Ivo has a very easygoing, mellow temperament for her species, and though she's happy to get into something when the opportunity presents, she's just as happy to laze around and sit on the nearest person or object. She has a melodramatic streak, however, huffing when interested at something and hissing when she's unhappy with whatever's going on around her. She'll let you know what she thinks!

Ivo is named after Ivo Keys, a character from the lovely webcomic Shaderunners! (Which I personally recommend reading.)

Before you bring home a snake that will get substantially sized, really consider how much poop you are willing to deal with.