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Southwestern Carpet Python of Western Australia Morelia spilota imbricata |
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Southwestern Carpet Python of Western Australia Morelia spilota imbricata |
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Pythons are non-venomous There are possibly six subspecies of Carpet and Diamond pythons. Two are found in Western Australia. The carpet python Morelia spilota variegata is found in the NT and Kimberley and the southern carpet python Morelia spilota imbricata is found in the southwest of Western Australia and some offshore islands extending north to Geraldton.
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These photographs were taken at Dryandra Woodlands in the wheat belt southeast of Perth. The snake immediately climbed this small bush to get away from us. In the photo on the right you can see the heat seeking vents on its jaw. These pits help them detect warm-blooded animals such as mammals. Also with the vibrations that the prey makes by moving the prey can be located even in the dark. |
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This snake shelters in hollow trunks, abandoned burrows, caves, rock crevices and under boulders. Also found on rafters and in ceilings of buildings including urban areas although this is less frequent now. Climbs rocks and trees and ground dwelling. Males may fight during spring where their bodies are intertwined and raised above the ground where they may bite each other but it is mostly a ritual to gain the female. A clutch of 9-52 eggs. Snakes have long slender forked tongues. |
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What does this snake eat? Rats, mice, bunnies, mammals such as bandicoots and possums, young numbats and baby birds if the nest is close to the ground. In warmer weather this snake is active at night and in the cooler weather it will be active in the late afternoon. So it has a variety of food depending on when it hunts. Here is a photograph of a Numbat sitting on a termite mound keeping a look out at Perth's Zoo.
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Some of these pythons hiss loudly and strike with mouth open if you approach, others don't mind being handled like this one around my son at a Shopping Centre display. Pythons have sharp backward curving teeth. The males have a Hemi-penis (2 penises). |
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These photographs were taken just outside the Tutanning Nature Reserve in the wheatbelt at night in January. Go Here to see our video to see how long this snake is. The Carpet pythons are the largest snake now living in the South-west of Western Australia but not as large as the Wonambi naracoortensis a giant python that lived in the South-west of Western Australia which survived through to the Pleistocene period. Go to our Fossils and Gem pages to learn a lot more about the wildlife and flora from ancient Western Australia.
Photographed at the Western Australian Museum Update; |
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This young Southwestern Carpet Python was fairly aggressive. Go Here to see our video of this young snake.
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It was around 800mm long and reared several times just because I was standing near it. It was seen on Willis Rd in the Wandoo Conservation Park off Brookton Hwy Perth in March. It was happier once it climbed this little sapling. |
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