Atomic Betty, Reportedly Australia's Biggest Snake, Gets Weigh-In After Dieting (VIDEO)
A reticulated python, the world's longest snake species, received her annual weigh-in this week after being placed on a diet that limited the number of goats she could eat.
Atomic Betty, believed to be Australia's biggest snake, weighed in at 302 pounds this week at the Australian Reptile Park in Gosford, New South Wales. According to Sky News, it took six park employees a half hour to secure Betty for her weigh-in.
Tim Faulkner, the park's operations manager, explained to The Sydney Morning Herald that Betty had been placed on a diet to try to limit her size. "She didn't grow by a lot and that's because we actually stopped her from consuming as much food. This year she only had about three or four goats as opposed to maybe 10 because she was getting a little bit too round rather than getting longer."
Betty was placed on the diet when her keepers noticed she already weighed 300 pounds. According to The Telegraph, Betty, who measures about 22 feet in length, is likely to grow several more feet as she matures over the next seven years.
The Australian Reptile Park is also home to Elvis the crocodile. Last month, the cranky croc charged a park worker and stole his lawn mower.
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First Posted: 01/05/12 02:20 PM ET Updated: 01/05/12 02:22 PM ET