Snake man

On a quick trip to the pet shop to stock up on snake food for my pet corn snake Raoul, I chanced upon a herpetologist (snake expert) and some of his 18 snakes. This one, a fabulous 14 ft long python called Archie, particularly caught my eye.

For such an enormous snake - he's not yet full grown, and will reach 18 ft as an adult - Archie is a gentle giant. He's very docile and used to being handled, and a firm favourite on school visits that his owner regularly undertakes.

Archie is so called because he has a sharp arch in his neck that was a birth defect, but it doesn't seem to handicap him in any way, and he has no problem eating his food. A diet of rats, since you ask.

The extra shot is Archie in his impressive totality, curled up in his travel box.