Nature Trail

Two pythons with unusual traits

Today we feature two other species of pythons which may fascinate some of you, especially because of certain uncommon traits they display. Were you surprised at learning that nowadays it’s not only products that come with ‘designer’ labels attached to them, but also some exotic pets as we explained in our article on pythons on April 6.

With the way scientific research and experiments are progressing we could expect more such unusual developments in the future. In the meantime, let’s step into the world of reptiles and slither along with the pythons....

Ball python

Now, isn’t this a rather unusual name for a species of snake? There is a good reason for this creature being so named; it is claimed that this particular species has the tendency to curl up into a ball whenever it is stressed or threatened. In fact, it is rather popular for this ‘defence strategy’ of coiling into a tight ball with its head and neck tucked away in the middle.

It is said that the python could literally be rolled away like a ball. Perhaps those who have ball pythons as pets (may be not in our country), could enlighten us on this.

Ball pythons are a non-venomous species of pythons found in Africa. They are also the smallest known species of pythons and so they have become very popular as pets. They reach lengths of 90 to 120 cm (3-4ft) as adults on average, but longer lengths, between 5-6 ft have also been occasionally recorded.

These ball pythons are typically black with light brown-green blotches on sides and dorsal (on the back). The belly area is white or cream in colour.

However, like the carpet pythons, many morphs (colour and pattern variations) have been developed through genetic mutations (alterations) for the thriving pet trade. The ball python which has no recognised subspecies is also known as the Royal ball python or Regal ball python.

It is a name derived from the Latin word regius, but there is also a story that this name originated because the famous Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra wore a ball python around her wrist. Whether it was a pet ball python or just a piece of jewellery is not clear.

Ball pythons prefer to live in habitats such as grasslands, savannahs and sparesly wooded areas. A terrestrial (living on land) species, ball pythons prey on small mammals such as the African soft-furred rats, shrews and striped mice, in the wild, but in captivity they survive on rats and mice which are either live, pre-killed or frozen-thawed.

These pythons are known to have highly sensitive, forked tongues which they use as sensory organs. Even though ball pythons are terrestrial they have the ability to climb trees like most pythons, especially the carpet species.

They are known to be crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk).

Like the carpet pythons, the ball pythons too are oviporans (egg laying). The females are known to lay between 3 - 11 large eggs per clutch, though between 4-6 eggs are more common.

The mums are very protective of the eggs and they are usually laid and incubated in underground abandoned mammal burrows or holes. The female generally coils around the eggs to incubate them for about 90 days. Once they are hatched, the little ones have to fend for themselves.

These pythons are said to have docile temperaments when compared to most other species of pythons. Perhaps that is why these curious, but gentle creatures are now bred in about 15-20 designer colours to meet the growing demand as pets.

Some of the morphs available are fascinating. For instance, the lavender albino is said to be a pastel coloured creature with its otherwise dark blotches appearing in a creamy-yellow colour against a pale lavander base colour.

Find it hard to believe? It’s true. There is a huge demand for colour variations in exotic pet pythons so the variations continue to grow. Then there is a morph called the Piebald python which is very much like the original ball python, but with the markings interrupted by random spots or rings of pure white.

The albino ball python, yet another morph, has golden ochre spots on a white background or base colour. Apart from these there are a variety of others; the clown, pinstriped, lemon pastel, super cinnamon, ghost, ivory, spider, caramel and many more interesting morphs.

Interested in having a specially designed ball python as a pet?

Green tree python

This particular species of python was once classified as a genus of its own and was the only member then. But now it has been re-classified, joining many other Australian pythons. No sub-species has been recognised yet.

Found in New Guinea, various islands in Indonesia and the Cape York Peninsula in Australia, these pythons frequent habitats such as rainforests, shrubs and bushes.

Completely arboreal (related to trees) as the name indicates, these pythons are well known for a particular way of resting; a trait they share with Emerald or Green tree boas. In fact, due to this similarity, the two species are often confused.

As these pythons have prehensile (capable of grasping) tails they latch onto a branch and loop a coil or two over the branches like a saddle and then place their head right in the middle of it. This is certainly an unusual position to rest in, but may be the pythons feel they are in hammocks!

These pythons are a vivid green colour with a broken vertebral stripe of white or dull yellow. Some are flecked with blue, white and yellow, giving them excellent camouflage in their natural habitats.

Green tree pythons attract their prey to within grabbing distance using a fascinating ploy. They dangle the end of their prehensile tail over the end of a branch and wiggle the end, attracting curious animals to their death. Their prey include small mammals like rodents, and also reptiles. Some believe that they prey on birds too, but many researchers disagree on this.

These solitary creatures like to live high in the branches of forest trees most of the time, getting even their requirements of water from the drops on leaves. They breed once a year and the females lay 12-25 eggs per clutch.

The eggs which are often laid in the hollow of a tree are protected by the females, who coil over them to keep them warm.

The eggs are incubated for about two months and the hatchlings have lemon yellow colour skins with broken stripes and spots of brown and purple on them. Sometimes golden and orange individuals are found in the same clutch.

Often, green tree pythons are bred and kept in captivity.

Mustard green tree python, blue green tree python, blue frost green tree python, high yellow green tree python, hormonal blue green tree python and calico green tree python are some of the morphs that have been bred for the pet trade.