Snakes!

Post Reply New Topic

As a rule of thumb, animals are cool, animals that are predators are really cool, and predators that swallow their prey whole are freaking awesome.

I'm quite convinced swallowing prey whole is less violent than ripping it to shreds.

And, really, given the choice, I'd rather live well and be poisoned quickly (as, say, a mouse) than die slowly and painfully of cancer or be mortally wounded by a tiger (as, say, an antelope).
Though, I guess as long as I had a good time jumping around I might not care.

Guess what I cannot take your poll. Cause I love them but have never owned them so maybe I should be represented.

Yeh, I couldn't take the poll either, unfortunately. I've never owned one.

I caught a carpet python today!! !!

Wohoo. I was at the beach, walking the/a dog (it's not actually my dog; I foster care) and on the way back there was.. suddenly.. a beautiful python on the edge of the path.

I guess it was a coastal carpet python, though I'd have to look up the different breeds again to be sure. It's markings were quite dark toward the back (though it had the stripes of course, fairly wide bands and very distinct) with colouring growing lighter toward the head. It had lovely eyes - of course their daytime vision isn't (I don't think) very good and when the dog ran right past it a couple of times it recoiled back, unaware of what exactly was there but knowing it was some kind of cumbersome (kelpie x blue heeler; hyperactive) animal. I think there was some kind of blue green around its eyes.
Underneath the chin and belly was pale, luminescent yellow - gorgeous.

I live in a tourist town at this was at the town's main beach, so when others came walking along the trail I let them know there was a python. They were english and pretty much freaked out. Two stuck around and held the dog though, as I could then attempt to handle the creature.

It seemed quite docile around me but I only held it from the lower part of its body. It's lower body and tail curled around my hand! I held it in the air - it was about 2m and I think quite slender for its size. It started to curl its head around and I let it go - not having a lot of experience at handling wild snakes. I've handled wild lizards quite a lot more.

Does anyone know how likely pythons in the wild are to bite?

I know they're not harmful; I'm just not keen to experience the bite, that's all. Mind you, I'm sure if it happens again.. I'll be less risk conscious and just go for it anyway !

I went back after grabbing my mobile phone from home, but.. it was gone from under its rock, by then ..

Oh My God !
I can't believe you picked up a wild snake !
That's so brave, mysassyself !

I've seen So many snakes, but I've never tried to pick any of them up !
I've been offered to hold them, and held them, but only 'tame' snakes.

I googled 'coastal carpet python' , was it any of these? :










WOW! Those are some Fantastic specimens !




I wish more people would post photos !

Yes, very much like the top photo, of the python on the stair railing.

And like this (sorry, I could not readily get this small picture to blow up any bigger):





We also have a (completely different) species wild around here that I haven't been able to identify properly. Word of mouth says whip snake. It looks a little like this:



The marsh snake, whose habitat is listed as SE Qld and in moister climates, so it could be this one .. the snake that lives here - there was one under our stairs, though it was far too quick for me to get anywhere near being able to catch it and was only about 50cm long, the same size as the marsh snake) - is an orange kind of colour, with round, almost bulging eyes if I remember correctly and it has two band through its head. Quite distinctive and I'm surprised I haven't been able to identify it more easily. We do have a lot of snakes here in Aus' though !

more of morelia spilota mcdowelli (the coastal carpet python):

Eggies!

I think perhaps the snake I saw today could have recently shed its skin. I hadn't thought so looking at it, though it was brighter than some of these pictures show snakes looking. It was a very healthy, lovely looking specimen that I saw today.

This is a snake called the Cape York carpet python (presumably found in far north Queensland). I rather liked the look of it.

[img]http://www.ultimatereptiles.com.au/images/reptiles/pythons/cycarpet.jpg\[/img]

and this one is a Bredli's python; also a type of carpet python. Carpet pythons are reportedly classified into more subdivisions these days than they used to be. These ones, the Bredli can be kept as pets and are found in the wild in central Australia. So, the Northern Territory (that's Ayres Rock region for those that don't know already). Note their somewhat lighter colouring; this adaptation corresponding to their desert environment.

You'd think they'd be a bit smaller, to help them survive in the desert without having to maintain so much body mass - I think (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that they're actually bigger! It's tough out there .. probably they need to store more energy to cope with the ups and downs of the desert and also would do better being able to catch bigger prey as well as rodents.

This one is listed as a hypomelanistic coastal carpet python. Almost albino; although it doesn't have much pigmentation I would not think it could be classified as a true albino. It is beautiful to look at, I think.

and, just for comparison, this is a jungle carpet python (Morelia spilota cheynei)

From memory they are more arboreal than other carpet pythons (almost completely)

um, I don't want to scare you, but that's almost definitely a whip snake.
Do Not Approach ! Do not corner !
They will flee at provocation, relying on their innate speed to avoid predation.
If you see it in your house again, call a professional snake handler in to remove it!

How lucky you are to find a python!
I agree, that's a beautiful morph. The face is quite intelligent and striking looking.

Yes, I agree that it does sound very much like a whip snake. I had wondered if that's really what it was, though. However, syzygyish, m whip snakes are only mildly venomous and this one is very shy and gets away very fast; I really don't think that it's a danger. Like most snakes, it is much more scared of me than I of it. And.. I'm not silly. But, thank you for your concern.

Since the last time I saw it, there have been two blue tongue lizards underneath the house near where the snake was living. Actually, they were mating, which is supposed to be a sign of luck. In fact, I have had a lot of good luck since that time!
Very often, blue tongues and snakes won't share the same habitat. I don't think that the whip snake is around any more.

The 'catch it' was what had me worried! That's when people get bitten.




Oh, Blue Tongues are awesome !
I saw one in our garden last year, but they don't hang around long, here.
I didn't know that about them not sharing the same habitat, Thanks !
We're definitely getting more wildlife showing themselves since we got rid of the cat.
My latest find was a Tawny Frogmouth that I caught in the headlights as I drove into the house. It had just jumped down onto the ground to catch something.
I got out and had a good look at, but forgot to come back out and take a photo Again when I got back inside!


Found a cool photo of a Twig Snake skeleton today :

There's a thriving industry for animal skeletons :
http://www.tellmewhereonearth.com/Web%2 ... Page_3.htm

It'd be cool to have one, but since they breed them to kill them,
No Thanks !