Pythons, strikingly beautiful!

After the long journey you made with us into the wild and beautiful world of felines, we decided to take you down a different path of the animal kingdom; the world of creepy-crawlies. Yes we are referring to the cold-blooded, slippery, slithery creatures - the snakes.

Did anyone shriek just by reading the name and drop the paper like a ‘hot potato’? Well, we certainly hope not, because the creatures we feature are not the venomous kind.

Anyway, it’s a fact that many are scared or feel squeamish about snakes, venomous or not. But, at the same time, there are those who are simply fascinated by them and even keep some non-venomous species as pets.

No matter how people feel, snakes are an important part of nature and they are here to stay. In a tropical country such as ours, there is an abundance of snakes, but the species we feature today are not found here.

As you may be aware, there are many species of snakes that slither about in various parts of the world. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that snakes come in all shapes, sizes, colours and designs too, going by the variety of markings on their skins, especially since snake breeders have begun to introduce new varieties through gene mutations (alterations).

Pythons are not uncommon to us, but have you heard of pythons called carpet pythons, tiger carpet pythons, jaguar carpet pythons and zebra carpet pythons? Perhaps not.

These pythons with name tags of other animals are all subspecies and morphs (colour and pattern mutations) of a species of pythons known as the diamond pythons (Morelia spilota).

So, let’s check out the diamond species which has led to the ‘birth’ of some interesting varieties of pythons with rather unusual names and attractive designs and colours on their skins! Some of these designs are so striking that they are ideal as designs for fabrics.

Diamond pythons

A non-venomous species of pythons found in Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia, the diamond python is the most wide ranging python in the world. There are six recognised species; carpet python, jungle carpet, coastal carpet, inland carpet, southwestern carpet and of course the diamond carpet.

The diamond carpet is the earliest known carpet python. It was first described by a French naturalist named Lacapede way back in 1804 following specimens found in early settlements around the Sydney Harbour in Australia.

Diamond pythons are considered striking in appearance and is named after the intricate diamond shaped design on its skin. Typically the diamonds have a black based skin with cream or yellow markings, but the colours vary. The base colours could range from grey to variants of brown with yellowish-gold markings. The heads are triangular shaped.

The males are smaller than the females. On average, the adults reach a length of about four metres and weigh over five kilograms. The largest of the species of diamonds is Morelia spilota (M.S.) macdoweli - that is the nominate diamond python we are describing here. The smallest is M. S. variegata (Carpet python) averaging lengths of 120-180 cm (4-6 feet).

These diamond pythons are semi-arboreal (relating to trees) and so they climb trees, shrubs and rock faces. Even though these pythons are nocturnal and activity is high in the nights, they could be found basking (lying in warmth and sunshine) during daytime. Diamond pythons can tolerate lower temperatures than other pythons.

It is found in a variety of habitats such as the rainforests of northern Queensland, but they are not as common as they were once in Sydney.

Like all pythons, the diamonds too survive on small mammals including bats, birds and lizards. They are constricters (snakes that kill by compressing). They strike and coil themselves around their prey until it dies.

Diamonds are oviparous (egg laying) creatures and the females lay eggs in clutches of 5-15 eggs at a time. Did you know that pythons generally protect their eggs even though other snakes don’t? Well, the diamond python mums too are very protective of their eggs so they usually coil around the clutch of eggs and keep them safe until they hatch.

During this incubation period, the mother loses about 30 per cent of her body weight. The protection ceases the moment the eggs are hatched and the baby pythons are then left to fend for themselves!

Diamond pythons are popular as pets. They can be fed with mice and rats in captivity. The average lifespan of these pythons is between 15 to 20 years.

Carpet pythons

A diverse subspecies of the strikingly patterned diamond python, the carpet python is so named because the markings on some specimens resemble the patterns of old fashioned carpets.

The colour patterns vary greatly; pale to dark brown and olive green to grey or reddish with darker blotches. Their heads are rather large and their bodies slender, but robust (strong and sturdy).

Found mostly in Australia and New Guinea, the carpet pythons live in different habitats such as grasslands and wooded savannahs. Of the many carpets, the jungle carpet (M.S. cheynei) is the most brightly coloured and the smallest (as we mentioned earlier).

All carpet pythons are highly arboreal and nocturnal. However, they will bask during the daytime when necessary. They stalk, capture and subdue their prey which include mice, rats, birds, possums and marsupials.

Feeding in captivity is not a problem. They are kept as pets.

Jungle carpet pythons

With heads like those of dragons and bodies which are not very thick, these medium-sized pythons grow to a length of 5.7 feet to 6 feet. Even though they are not fully arboreal like the tree boas, their prehensile (capable of grasping) tails help them in their arboreal pursuits.

The brightest jungle carpet is jet black with bright yellow markings and a pure white underside. The average colours are yellow-tan blotches and pine white undersides. With each shedding of skin, the colours become lighter.

The adult colour of the skin is evident by the time the pythons are 2-3 years old. Jungle carpets are well-known for their dark black and rich golden-yellow colouration.

They have been crossed with diamond carpet pythons and coastal carpet pythons for more then 30 years to breed new varieties which are becoming very popular, especially for their colouration and markings. Coastal carpets are large, reaching a length of about 14 feet and one known to be aggressive. They are also hardy snakes in captivity, so most breeders cross them with other carpets.

Tiger carpet pythons

Introduced around the mid 1990s, these morphs of carpet pythons vary from other striped or tri-striped carpet pythons. Believed to have originated in the United States, the earliest photograph of a tiger carpet was displayed around 1980.

What sets this particular morph apart from other striped or tri-striped carpets is its wider dorsal (of or on the back) stripes. Typically, (these pythons which are a result of co-dominant mutations), turn out into gorgeous cream-white to yellow colours at maturity.

Even though morphs of carpet pythons were not very popular at one time,(especially since the export of carpet pythons which are native to Australia are prohibited), now they are gaining attention. More and more morphs are being introduced following the advent of the jaguar carpet python, which is considered a beauty!

Jaguar carpet pythons

They are a spectacular species (a morph) of the carpet pythons. In fact they are responsible for the rising popularity of the carpet python. Jaguar morphs are getting better every year with their marking improving greatly. Generally, all carpet pythons undergo dramatic colour changes as they mature. But Jaguars are known to undergo even more drastic colour changes as they reach maturity.

Recently there has been an explosion of snake mutations, both naturally occurring and created in captivity by breeders. So a variety of new morphs and hybrids are being introduced, especially for the exotic pet market. They are readily available as domestically bred stock and many like to have them as pets because they are easy to care for. There are even designer breeding centres where strikingly beautiful pythons are bred.

Some morphs developed and being developed of carpet mutations

Tri-stripe coastal pythons

Caramal coastal

Tiger coastal

Jaguar coastal (relatively new morph)

Zebra jungles

Granite Irian Jayas

Mortley Irian Jayas

Diamond Jungle Jaguar pythons

Pythons

There are more than 27 species of pythons found in Asia, Australia, Africa and Central America (one species). Many extend lengths of over 25feet (7.5m) and weigh up to 300lbs!

They are a subfamily of a group known as the Boid’s (boidae) which include boas. All five of the giant snakes along with some other smaller species of snakes belong to this family. The pythons are known as the giants among the entire genus of snakes but the boa (anaconda) is classed as the largest snake in the world. The name python comes from a giant serpent in Greek mythology.

Fact file

* Typically, carpets live to 20-30 years in captivity

* The first genetic morph of the python, jungle carpet is the zebra carpet python which is strikingly beautiful with its intricate markings.

* Tiger carpet pythons are another morph of coastal carpets with bold dorsal striped patterns, and striped or broken striped patterns on the sides, covering the length of its body.