The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has a new python with sentimental ties.
The 18-foot-long, 200-pound reptile is the daughter of Fluffy, the zoo’s record-setting python who died suddenly Oct. 15. The new snake arrived Nov. 16 at the zoo from a private breeder and took the place of her mother in the zoo’s Asia Quest region.
“We could have gotten bigger snakes, but it meant more to (procure Fluffy’s daughter) than get the next-biggest snake,” said Lewis Greene, the zoo’s animal care and conservation vice president.
Fluffy’s gentle demeanor and size — weighing in at 300 pounds and measuring 24 feet — made her a well-known creature among zoo employees and patrons. She holds the record for longest snake in Guinness World Records.
Fluffy’s daughter never knew her mother, having hatched in 1998, and she probably won’t grow as large — but she’ll get bigger, Greene said.
While the snake doesn’t quite measure up, there are similarities between mother and daughter.
“(Fluffy’s daughter’s) temperament is similar to Fluffy’s, and that’s important.,” said Greene.
“Fluffy was a reticulated python; they’re not always known for being friendly. But she was always easy-going, and you didn’t have to worry about her. In talking to the breeder, he explained to me that (her daughter) has a similar temperament,” he said.
That’s good news for zoo patrons who enjoyed hands-on activities with Fluffy, but it’ll be three months before the snake can come in contact with other animals and humans, Greene said. All zoo animals must go through a quarantine period when they arrive.
“It’s like with humans — you could have adjusted to bugs and viruses, then move to San Francisco or Seattle; it’s a different environment and you wind up picking up colds and those sorts of things,” Greene said.
For mammals, the quarantine period is 30 days, but for reptiles, it’s 90.
Currently, zoo employees handle Fluffy’s daughter wearing protective suits, gloves, masks and boots. They take them off when they’re finished to handle other animals.
Zoo patrons can see the new arrival in the Asia Quest region while she’s under quarantine.
Within the next few weeks, the zoo will announce a naming contest for its newest animal. Patrons should check the zoo’s website and social media outlets soon for more information, said Patty Peters, the zoo’s community relations vice president.
The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Dec. 31. Wildlights hours are from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Jan. 1. The zoo will be closed Thursday, Nov. 25, as well as Dec. 24 and 25.