Aussie Pythons

This Olive Python or Liasis Olivaceus is one of the biggest snakes around the Australian continent. In fact, this is the second largest species of snakes in Australia. This specie is classified under the non-venomous snakes, and is mostly found in the areas of Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queesland. The Olive Python’s length can reach 4 meters. In extreme cases, they can even grow longer to 6 meters. The color is fairly uniform, which may vary from olive, greenish brown or reddish brown. They usually have a white color in the ventral region that expands to the supralabial scales. The number of scales in the middle area of ??the body is between 60 and 70. This makes the skin appear smoother than in other species.

The Olive Python is sometimes mistaken as the King Brown Snake or Pseudechis Australis. As a consequence, they are killed of being thought as the venomous Pseudechis Australis. These species prefer to thrive in rocky areas near water, mountain ranges, hills and monsoon forests. They are also found hiding in hollow logs and caves.

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Liasis
Scientific Name: Liasis Olivaceus

The Liasis Olivaceus generally has nocturnal habits. The Olive Pythons are good eaters. They feed on warm-blooded animals, especially small mammals such as rodents, rabbits, birds, ducks, fruit bats, monitor lizards and reptiles. Olive Pythons are also known to feed on wallabies. After they bite their prey, they trap and choke their victims by constriction before swallowing whole. These species have strong acids in their stomach to easily digest the bones. Known for being good swimmers, the Olive Pythons are also known for striking their victim under the water.

Mating takes place between May and July. The hatching will take place 81–85 days, or nearly three months. The eggs are spherical and almost completely white. The female Olive Python is larger and more robust. The incubation period lasts about 50 days. Females can lay 15 to 20 eggs. Juveniles are born with an approximate length of 35 cm. 

The snakes born in captivity are generally docile and calm against manipulation. Some babies may show aggressive behavior, but can easily be corrected with proper handling.  Since this is a large animal, the recommended measurement for a terrarium is 250x150x150 cm (LxWxH). The more space to give the animal, the better. A bigger space is desirable for the animal to reproduce its natural habitat. Although the Olive Python is not a very aquatic animal, it would be advisable to provide it with a bowl of water where it can swim. This can help the snake exercise. An Olive Python will eat anything that is offered to them. However, owners must be mindful of what they feed these snakes, in order to prevent obesity. For any scent that resembles food, they fiercely strike at any time. The Liasis Olivaceus are vigilant species. Once they sense a new environment, they carefully examine the place. The Olive Python can live up to 20 years with the right care.

The black-headed python or Aspidites Melanocephalus is found in the non-arid places of Northern Australia.

The Aspidites Melanocephalus thrives in semi-dry, or tropical areas. These non-venomous snakes are fine swimmers. Yet, they are rarely seen in waters. Once threatened, they produce a hissing sound, sometimes striking with their mouths closed. They are mostly found under leaves and rocks, deep soil cracks, or hollow logs.

Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Aspidites
Scientific Name: Aspidites Melanocephalus

Adult snakes of this kind grow a length of 6 to 9 feet. These muscular snakes usually have a gray, black, tan and cream pattern. The patterns are arranged in stripes. The belly is light colored— usually light yellow. And as the name suggests, its head is black in color. This makes this species easy to recognize.

The Black-headed python has a flattened figure, while its tail gets thinner at the end. They have shiny and smooth scales, which compliments their appearance more.

In terms of feeding, these pythons prefer small mammals and reptiles. Since most of them thrive in the desert, they stay warm for a longer period. This is good for the black-headed python, since food is quickly digested in warm temperature. Besides the desert, these species inhabit shrubby plains, and rocky areas.

Just like most pythons, they kill their prey by strangulation. In the case of the Aspidites Melanocephalus, they coil their prey by positioning a coil or two just ahead of its mouth. This makes the swallowing process easier. The black-headed python has stronger and more powerful jaws than most pythons its size.

The mating season usually takes place in June or in the first weeks of July. During the breeding period, female python guard their eggs until they hatch. The incubation period usually takes 2 to 3 months. They usually have 5 to 11 eggs per clutch. After 2 days, juveniles are ready to feed.

Black-headed pythons can be kept as pets. They are desirable and can be handled easily. However, buying this exotic pet can be costly. A suitable habitat and appropriate feeding should be considered by owners. Specialists advise that owners should prevent feeding their pythons fat rodents. This is because the black-headed python does not endure too much fat stored in their body. If excess fat has been consumed, this could lead to a disease in the heart and liver.

The Jungle Carpet Python (Morelia Spilota Cheynei) can be found in the tropical rainforests of the northern state of Queensland, Australia. This python is similar to the Green Tree Python. The Jungle Carpet Python lives both in the highlands, as well as on the coast. They thrive mostly in the wooded river valleys. These animals are relatively arborical in that they live mostly on trees.

In terms of appearance, the Morelia Spilota Cheynei is one of the most beautiful pythons. Its graceful and slender body reaches an average length of 5 to 6.5 feet. Its neck is thin and a head that is similar to a dragon. The dark pattern on their body can be black, brown, or gray. Their scales’ color becomes lighter toward the center, which can be yellow, brown, or cream. Rare species of this kind is turquoise with a cream-colored pattern, which is strongly iridescent. The belly is typically very light, often yellow, or cream. Hatchlings are usually black or gray. They develop to their full color as soon as they reach 2 years of age.

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Morelia
Scientific Name: Morelia Spilota Cheynei

Generally, the Jungle Carpet Python has no problems with feeding. They mostly eat rats, hamsters, as well as poultry. Like most of the snakes, they kill their prey through coiling and strangling. Juveniles mostly prefer to eat small mice.

Female species of this python is usually larger than males. At 4 years of age, they begin to be sexually mature. Males tend to stop feeding as soon as the breeding season starts. As soon as the breeding period is over, the females tend to lower their food intake since their eggs occupy most part of their body. The females lay 8 to 9 eggs.

The Ramsay or Woma Python, scientifically referred to as the Aspidites Ramsayi is a species of snake found in Australia. Although this was once common in the Western part, this specie has become seriously endangered in some regions.

In 1996, this specie was declared as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in their Red List of Threatened Species. During the past 10 years, a group of Australian specialists working with the IUCN, showed a 50% decline of this species’ population. Although endangered, the Adelaide Zoo in South Australia is coordinating a captive breeding program for these species.

The adult Woma Python averages a length of 1.5 m (4.5 feet). Its head is narrow and the eyes are small. Its body is broad and somewhat flattish, while the tail gets thinner to a point. The scales are small, fine, and smooth and in appearance. The Woma Python’s dorsal scales are smooth with around 50-65 rows at midbody. The color may be pale brown to nearly black. The pattern consists of a color that varies from brown and olive to lighter shades of pink, orange and red that is covered with darker stripe. Its belly is cream or light yellow in color, with brown and pink blotches. The scales around the eyes are usually darker than the rest of the head’s color.

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia 
Phylum: Chordata 
Class: Reptilia 
Order: Squamata 
Family: Boidae python
Scientific name:  Aspidites ramsayi 
Author of species: (Macleay, 1882 ) 

The Aspidites Ramsayi belong to the Boidae family—a group of non-poisonous snakes. Like most of the snakes, they kill their victims by constriction or strangulation. They feed on small mammals, lizards, and birds. They also feed on rodents attacking them in their own burrows. When there is not enough room to coil on the rodents, the Woma Python, pins the animal on the side of their burrow. Many adult Womas have scars on their body due to these types of attacks, as this technique isn’t as good as the normal strangulation. These snakes are highly nocturnal. During the day, the Woma Python may be found under leaves or hollow logs, where they take cover.

Mating occurs from May to August. The laying of eggs usually takes place in September and October. The female Woma lays around14 to 19 eggs. The incubation period lasts for about 57 days. The female Woma stays coiled around the eggs until they hatch.

The Green Tree Python, scientifically named the Morelia Viridis, is an Australian python that has a thick body, up to a meter and a half in length; they can grow larger but this is rare. Adults are typically the bright green color as shown in the picture parallel to this text, whilst juveniles take on a yellow color – their pattern is subject to location. Found in rainforests, bushes, shrubs and you guessed it, trees, the Green Tree Python can be found in Queensland, Australia. They are non-venomous, although equipped with sharp teeth which will inflict a painful gripping bite when they become aggressive.

Feeding:
Their diet generally consists of small animals, rodents such as mice and rats, as well as smaller reptiles. Studies have shown no evidence supporting theories of their appetite for birds. They lie in wait attached on a tree, striking and constricting prey below them which becomes immobile. They are nocturnal, thus they hunt in the night; however they have been noted to hunt during the day as well.

Captivity:
The Green Tree Python is often kept and bred in captivity; as well as pets. They are considered advanced care, beginners shouldn’t take on this snake, they require specific environmental conditions; once met they thrive and become relatively low maintenance. If caught in the wild, these snakes are regarded as violent, biting if provoked and virtually impossible impossible to tame. However, if bred in captivity they are generally calm and regarded among the most gentleness of pythons. They are kept in a closed environment (to maintain strict control of the heat and humidity within) with adequate ventilation, and varying temperatures (80 to 85F); humidity between 60 to 80 percent. Larger space is generally ideal, however the minimum space required for the Morelia Viridis is 60 cubic centimeters.

Breeding:
Females will find a hollow tree and lay their clutch of 1-25 eggs, she will cover them maintaining the correct incubation temperature until they are ready to hatch (six to eight weeks down the track). Hatch-lings are typically yellow, with spots of blue/purple or orange/red; the color will change as time passes and they mature.

The diamond pythons, scientifically named; Morelia spilota spilota, are large pythons that prefer cold climates, they prefer the cold probably the most out of all Australian snakes. The majority of scales on diamond pythons are usually black and this has been suggested as an adaptation of the diamond python to keep warm efficiently. They are amply found in the south eastern regions of Australia that have a very cold winter period.

Like most carpet pythons, Diamonds are moderately sized, the female pythons can grow up to two meters and the males fall short by around 30cm. The colours and patterns of diamond pythons differ among various specimens, most commonly varying from black and white to black and gold.

Captivity:

A fully mature diamond python requires ample space and a minimum enclosure size of around 50x18x18 inches is required. One enclosure should be large enough to hold two pythons, although this is rarely recommended as it can cause fighting. If the enclosure has more room than what is minimally required, the diamond pythons perform various exercises inside them, as these species are naturally active.

One problematic condition affecting diamond pythons commonly is obesity which like in man, occurs due to excessive feeding. You can stimulate your python to move around by having two distinctly different temperatures within the enclosure (which is recommended with any python, to give them a choice to thermoregulate) so that these pythons will lose weight simply by gliding in between the two regions. The two temperatures can be achieved by the use of heat lamps that are periodically and alternatively switched off to create two thermally different regions.

Providing some form of elevation for these pythons will make them feel very secure as they are naturally arboreal beings. Therefore various twigs, branches and pieces of bark can be used either for elevation or as a hiding place and generally just to make them more comfortable. The floor of the enclosure is best lined with paper, however reptile carpet, sand or any of the reptile-friendly barks or litter can also be used. Newspaper is the best, all-round substrate as it can be replaced cheaply and easily and is the most hygienic option.

A bowl made of a heavy material should be used for the purpose of providing water and must be placed in the end, opposite to which the heating apparatus is placed. Some diamond pythons will spend unusually long intervals in water at certain periods. We can usually conclude from this that the snake is preparing itself for shedding. But make sure you cross off the other causes for this, such as mites.

Diamond pythons usually require temperatures in the range of 28 -30 degrees, above which they will move seeking colder temperatures. However at night the temperature may be reduced significantly in order to stimulate its particular night time behaviors often exhibited by pythons living in natural habitats.

Diamond pythons require a large supply of vitamin D that is needed for the development of bones and general growth. In the natural habitat, the reptile obtains this vitamin by exposing itself to sun light. However when held captive this vitamin might be provided by using incandescent UVB fluorescent lights that can be bought without much difficulty from a pet store. Alternatively, supplements of Vitamin D may be mixed with their food periodically.

Feeding:

These reptiles are essentially carnivorous and in their natural habitats consume small reptiles and marsupials. However when captive, they are fed on rats and mice like most other pythons. Day old chickens may also be fed to diamond pythons and can be bought from chicken farms or breeders. Diamond pythons, that are fully mature, need to be given food once every 7-15 days. The younger ones however must be fed more often, usually about every five days until fully mature.

Breeding:

Usually, diamond pythons breed every once in three years, because in order to breed, the female python must have a body mass that is good enough to help her lay eggs successfully and to also bear the rigors of incubation and pregnancy. While in captivity, breeding might be encouraged to occur every year or other year.

Following hibernation, the female, after consuming a couple of meals will shed her skin and prepare for breeding. In natural habitats, diamond pythons mate in the months of August to October. The sexual arousal can be physically observed in the male python that will frantically pace the enclosure due to being aroused by the scent given off by the female pheromones. Breeding takes about one to one and half months, after which the male begins to lose interest in the female python. At this stage it may be safe to separate the two pythons. Some females might continue to eat until they are ready to lay their clutch of eggs. Around 65 days from the day of breeding the female will lay eggs, often numbering between 15 and 40, the average being 20. The eggs weigh 41.1g approximately and like the other members of the python family, hatch when in areas where the humidity is quite high.