Five Ways to Appease Our New Python Overlords

Michael Ransburg, Flickr

Meet the new boss.

​The abundance of pythons in the Everglades is old news. (Remember that alligator fight?) But a couple weeks ago, we got news that the pythons in the Everglades can now swim in salt water. And more recently, experts have suggested that the number of mammals in the Everglades -- species like adorable bunnies, raccoons, and opossums -- has dropped, likely because the pythons are eating them.

This can mean only one thing: Pythons are poised to take over South Florida. And maybe also the world.

Here's our theory: The Everglades pythons are pissed at their former owners for ditching them out in the Everglades in the first place, and they're planning to take it out on the whole human race. They've been biding their time in the swamp, growing larger and stronger, and testing their strength against any innocent creature that crosses their paths. But now, there's no prey left in the Everglades. Training camp is over. The scaly bastards could be upon us at any moment. And no one knows exactly how many pythons are out there -- thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Millions of angry snakes, attacking our homes, our families, our darling chihuahuas?

There's only one thing we can do: Welcome our new python overlords, praying they keep us alive as slaves instead of letting us suffocate to death as we're slowly metabolized inside their remarkably stretchy bodies.

Arty Smokes, Flickr

​Slither at least 30 min a day
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Pythons must recognize that, right? So start practicing your snake moves now. You'll find that slithering is a great core workout, and it'll toughen up the skin on your abdomen, which will be useful when our new ruling class of pythons forbids us from walking on two feet. If you can do the worm, maybe they'll make you a court jester. If not, they will eat you.

elvis_payne, Flickr

​Learn the language
You know how it is -- if you live in Miami, you're expected to know at least a little bit of Spanish. It's called being a good citizen. So when the pythons take over, you'll be expected to hiss. Not fluently, of course -- just enough to ask where the bathroom is and order a cafe con leche. How embarrassed will you be if a snake asks you a question and you can't understand him? Not embarrassed at all, actually, because you'll be eaten immediately.