Reptile Morelia spilota (Carpet python)

[Hairyman]

Common Name:Carpet python

Scientific Name:Morelia Spilota

Order:Squamata

Family:Pythonidae

Other Names:Diamond Python

Distribution:Found throughout most of mainland Australia except Arid areas.
Indonesia and New Guinea.

Habitat:Various habitats including woodland, treeless islands and in and near human habitation
and even in areas that recieve snow.

Field Notes:Large python to 4meters. Semi arborial. Six subspecies recognized in Australia
some with 'threatened' conservarion status.



Steel ruler is slightly more than 30cm. This snake may be M. spilota mcdowelli give the size and location.
South Burnett, Queensland (Oct2011)

Thanks to Auscraft and Blake for help with I.D.

 

[Blake]

Some of my own:

2011 - Location: Australia Zoo

 

[AussiePreppers]

 

[Corin]

Awesome pictures!

 

[Dusty Miller]

Nice (and the other posts) Is that last one a Juvie?

 

[AussiePreppers]

Thanks - yes, that's steel plate you often find in the back of utes (for size comparison). Was the smallest carpet snake i've ever seen...

 

[XT John]

 

[auscraft]

This was taken last year found in compost bin
View attachment 3774View attachment 3775View attachment 3776 This pic clearly shows a tick attached to the snake, On good advice from a reptile specialist the tick will not cause harm to reptile they will simple fill up and drop off unlike other animal species.

 

[Becki]

20120108_113 by Miss Becki, on Flickr

Photo Taken by Becki @ Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens January 2012

 

[AussiePreppers]

 

[Aussie123]

That is quite a sight !

 

[gelandangan]

Wow, that phyton jackpotted!

 

[Hairyman]

A good look at the heat sensing pits in the bottom jaw.

This one keeps coming back to check out my chooks but they are too big.

 

[auscraft]

Hairy
You may need to make some alterations to your pens to keep predators out. In saying that your getting some great pics keep it up

 

[barefoot dave]

Mmmm, carpet snake.
In the bad old days we had one get into the chook cage and swallow 3pullets, then he couldn't get out, of course.
No option but to get the .22, old bloke ate the pullets and I ate the snake, poetic justice we called it.
Easy to skin and gut, naturally, rolled in flour, coiled up in the pan and shallow fried. Yes, it tasted just like chicken. Used a fork to scrape the meat off the bones.
Vey nice but not a patch on pork of the sea, dugong.

I am not suggesting that you kill a protected animal, just info that they taste nice! ;-)

We have a beautiful specimen where I work, approx 3.5m in length and a body thicker than my arm. Magnificant creature. My friend the snake catcher says they need to travel at least 6km away to relocate them as they WILL return otherwise. She dropped one 3km away once and it was back in a week. Confirmed the ID, def the same one. Cool.
Cheers, BDave.

 

[Hairyman]

Some Aboriginal people in North Queensland believe eating carpet snakes cause skin problems for the consumer.
If one is sensitive to the various alarm calls of certain birds such as butcher birds, apostle birds, noisy minors, etc it
is reasonably easy to find carpet snakes and goannas in some areas.

 

[barefoot dave]

Funny you mention that Hairyman.
Where I work is in a bend of the river and we have a mix of raptors and reptiles that stir up our noisy minors, cockatoos, butcher birds so I often fill the quiet times watching the Neighbourhood watch team in action seeing the predators off then returning to their petty rivalries and territorialism (so much like us, eh?).
Recently, we have had a family of crows muscle in so they have been the target of much harrasment.
The other day, i heard the usual cacophany of 'bugger off, bugger of' going on, looked over to see the crow in the middle of a grey, black and white maelstrom. Thought nothing of it as it continued for the next 5 minutes.
Then I heard someone yell "snake"!
Watching a little more closely I noticed the Crow was in overwatch as the smaller dive bombers took turns!!
Naturally, once Joe Blake was shown the door, the crow copped it again.

Never assume, always watch with open eyes!
Cheers, BDave.