Water Python

Liasis mackloti or the Water Python

Water pythons can be found in the coastal areas of northern Australia. They are generally found near water bodies with fringing plants, and in nearby woodlands and forests. Water pythons shelter in soil burrows, especially under trees, in hollows and stumps, under fallen vegetation and timber, and in rocky crevices. During the warmer months they will spend much of their time hidden under water among the reeds and rushes that line water courses, swamps and billabongs.

The Water python feeds on mammals, such as rats, bandicoots and small wallabies, and water birds. They are also one of the few Australian snakes that will eat bird eggs, and even small crocodiles. On warm summer nights they can often be found crossing or basking on roads.

In October or November females will lay from 11 to 19 eggs, which she will then coil around to protect and keep warm. The young will hatch after about 75 days, and the mother will then let them fend for themselves.

Did you know...

• The Water python can be generally found near water bodies with fringing plants, and in nearby woodlands and forests.
• During the warmer months they will spend much of their time hidden under water among the reeds and rushes that line water courses, swamps and billabongs.
• Water python feeds on mammals, such as rats, bandicoots and small wallabies, and water birds. They are also one of the few Australian snakes that will eat bird eggs, and even small crocodiles.
• In October or November females will lay from 11 to 19 eggs, which she will then coil around to protect and keep warm. The young will hatch after about 75 days, and the mother will then let them fend for themselves.

Where Water Python can be found in Australia:

Water Python

Stephens' Banded Snake

Hoplocephalus stephensii or the Stephens' Banded Snake

Did you know...

• Stephens' banded snake is one of the few arboreal (tree-dwelling) venomous Australian snakes.
• They can grow up to about 1 metre in length.
• The Stephens' Banded Snake gives birth to around six live young.
• While there are no recorded deaths from bites from this species, the Stephens' Banded Snake is considered dangerous.

• They are found along the mid-east coast, usually in mountain rainforests.
• Their diet consists mainly of frogs.

Where the Stephens' banded snake can be found in Australia:

Stephens' Banded Snake

Broad-headed Snake

Hoplocephalus bungaroides or the Broad-headed Snake

Did you know...

• Broad-headed snakes are endangered. Their habitat has been destroyed by people taking bush rocks to put in gardens.
• These snakes are found in the sandstone country around Sydney. They shelter in crevices and under slabs of rock.

• Broad-headed snake eats mainly geckos, but will also take mammals such as mice.
• The Broad-headed Snake give birth to around 6 live young.
• The adult Broad-headed Snake can reach a length of about 60cm.

Where to find the Australian Broad-headed snake

Broad-headed Snake

Pale-headed Snake

Hoplocephalus bitorquatus or the Pale-headed Snake

Did you know...

• The Pale-headed Snake is arboreal, which means it lives in trees. They shelter in hollows and under loose bark on standing trees.
• The Pale-headed Snake is highly venomous.

• They eat mainly frogs, but will also eat reptiles and mammals.
• When threatened, the Pale-headed Snake flattens their head and rear up.
• Pale-headed snakes don't lay eggs, instead giving birth to around five live young.

Where the Pale-headed snake can be found in Australia:

Pale-headed Snake

Brown Tree Snake

Boiga irregularis or the Brown Tree Snake

The brown tree snake is a nocturnal (night time) hunter, with its big, beautiful cat-like eyes giving it excellent vision.  These eyes are also the reason its also called a night tiger or doll's eye snake.  The brown tree snake has a very slender body that can reach 2 metres in length, though on average they grow to about 1.4 metres in length. The brown tree snake is a rear-fanged venomous snake. The venom is very weak,  with bites normally resulting in nothing more than a headache.  Because of its brown colour this animal is often confused with dangerously venomous snakes.

They hunt for a variety of foods, including lizards, frogs, and birds.  Hunting at night allows the snake to catch dragon lizards as they sleep on thin tree branches. The brown tree snake is an egg layer, producing from 4 to 10 eggs. It is the brown tree snake that has become a feral pest on the island of Guam.  After hitching rides with the Airforce cargo planes during the 2nd World War, these snakes found the climate and food to their liking.  The brown tree snake has bred up to such numbers that they have all but wiped out most species of bird on the Island.

Did you know...

• The brown tree snake is a nocturnal (night time) hunter, with its big, beautiful cat-like eyes giving it excellent vision.
• The brown tree snake is a rear-fanged venomous snake.
• The venom is very weak, with bites normally resulting in nothing more than a headache.
• Australia has its fair share of feral animals (such as cane toads and rabbits), but did you know that some of our native animals have become pests overseas?
• Brown tree snakes are a major pest on the island of Guam. After hitching a ride in US Airforce cargo planes during the 2nd World War, the snakes found the climate and food to their liking.

Where to find Brown Tree Snakes in Australia:

Brown Tree Snake

Woma Python

Aspidites ramsayi or the Woma Python

The woma is one of two Australian pythons that don't have heat pits (the other being the black-headed python). The woma lives in the sandy deserts and adjacent areas of all Australian States, except Victoria and Tasmania. In some parts the woma is referred to as the sand python. Burrows provide womas with both shelter and food. The woma will utilise burrows, including those of rabbits, to escape the scorching summer day time heat, and for shelter from the cold desert winters. They will scoop sand aside with their head to form a large depression in which to fit their coiled body for resting.

When a potential prey item is found in a burrow the woma will slam it into a corner with an uncoiled loop of its body to suffocate it.  Unlike other snakes, the woma python likes to feed on a variety of animals including many species of reptile. This predilection for cold-blooded prey includes venomous snakes. Whilst feeding on venomous snakes this python may receive bites from its prey item.

The chemical make up of the woma makes venoms that kill humans in a relatively short time useless against this animal.

Womas lays their eggs during spring. Despite the large size of the adult snake, only a few eggs (about eight) are laid.

Did you know...

• In some parts of the country, the woma python is referred to as the sand python.
• Womas lays their eggs during spring. Despite the large size of the adult snake, only a few eggs (about eight) are laid.
• Burrows provide womas with both shelter and food. The woma will utilise burrows, including those of rabbits, to escape the scorching summer day time heat, and for shelter from the cold desert winters.
• When a potential prey item is found in a burrow, the woma python will slam it into a corner with an uncoiled loop of its body to suffocate it.

Where the Woma Python can be found in Australia:

Woma Python

Black-Headed Python

Aspidites melanocephalus or the Black-Headed Python

The stunning black head of this animal is its most valuable asset. A black-headed python is able to warm its entire body by exposing only its head to the sun.  As the blood heats up it is quickly shunted to the rest of the animal hidden under rocks or logs. The Black-headed python also uses its head as a shovel, digging under rocks and venturing into small burrows to find food.  A major part of this animal's diet is made up of reptiles.  It is thought that because of these two factors the black-headed python has evolved without heat pits, which can be found on all other Australian pythons, except the closely related woma python.

Unlike most other reptiles the black-headed python consumes a wide range of venomous snakes.  It is not understood how the bites of these animals do not affect this particular python. The bands on their body help them blend into the shadows when venturing out for food.

The black-headed python is found in the arid parts of Australia, from the Tropic of Capricorn through to Rockhampton and North across Australia.

Did you know...

• A black-headed python is able to warm its entire body by exposing only its head to the sun. As the blood heats up it is quickly shunted to the rest of the animal hidden under rocks or logs.
• The bands on their body help them blend into the shadows when venturing out for food.
• Unlike most other reptiles, the black-headed python consumes a wide range of venomous snakes. It is not understood how the bites of these animals do not affect this particular python.
• The black-headed python is found in the arid parts of Australia, from the Tropic of Capricorn through to Rockhampton and North across Australia.

Where to find the Black-Headed Python in Australia:

Black-Headed Python

Stimson's Python

Antaresia stimsoni or Stimson's Python

Stimson's Python is a small snake only reaching about a meter in length. As a python, they are non-venomous.

Spotted pythons occur in dry inland areas, from the coast of Western Australia through the country to west of the Great Dividing Range, preferring to live in areas with rocky outcrops. They come out at night to feed on small lizards, frogs and mammals.

The female Stimson's python lays clutches of 7-9 eggs, which the female will incubate (a typical python behaviour). Incubation should last for about 50 days but may change depending on the temperature.

Did you know...

• These small pythons only reach about a meter in length.
• Stimson's python comes out at night to feed on small lizards, frogs and mammals.
• As a python, they are non-venomous.
• Female Stimson's pythons lay clutches of 7-9 eggs, which the female will incubate (a typical python behaviour).
• Incubation should last for about 50 days but may change depending on the temperature.

Where Stimson's Python can be found in Australia:

Stimson's Python

Spotted Python

Antaresia maculosa or the Spotted Python

The spotted python is a small species of non-venomous python. They can reach around a meter long and up to 1.4 m. As a python, they strangle their prey, which may consist of small mammals, including bats, small birds and some lizards. Spotted pythons like to hang out in rock crevices, caves and sometimes tree hollows.

Although they prefer rocky areas, they can be found in most types of habitat.

The female spotted python lays four to 16 eggs at a time. She will coil around the eggs to warm them by shivering her body. Even though she is cold-blooded, in this way she can raise her body temperature above the surrounding air temperature. Pretty clever lady!

Did you know...

• The spotted python is a small species of non-venomous python, growing up to just over 1 metre.
• As a python, they strangle (not crush) their prey, which may consist of small mammals, including bats, small birds and some lizards.
• Female spotted pythons will lay four to 16 eggs at a time.
• She will coil around the eggs to warm them by shivering her body.
• Even though she is cold-blooded, in this way she can raise her body temperature above the surrounding air temperature.

Where to find Spotted Pythons in Australia:

Spotted Python

Children's Python

Antaresia childreni or the Children's Python

The Children's python is one of the smallest pythons in Australia, reaching a maximum length of about 1 metre. They get the name Children's python not because they eat children, or because they make great children's pets, but from an English naturalist by the name of John Children. The Children's Python is usually found on the ground, utilising rocks, logs or animal burrows for shelter.  They feed on small rodents, birds and lizards.  Children's pythons will often climb to the roof of caves and snatch out of midair bats that are leaving for their night time feed. The Children's python is naturally a very placid snake. For this reason, and its compact size, it is a popular pet. The Children's python is an egg- laying species, as are all pythons.

A female will lay up to 20 eggs and then wrap her body around these eggs and regulate their temperature.  If the temperature of the eggs feels a little warm she will loosen the coils of her body to allow the air to circulate. If the eggs feel a little cool the female python will shiver to increase the temperature up to 6 degrees Celcius above air temperature.  The temperature that the female python will aim to keep her eggs at is 30 degrees Celcius.  Once the eggs begin to hatch the female feels her job is complete and leaves.

Did you know...

• Children's pythons get their name not because they eat children, or because they make great children's pets, but from an English naturalist by the name of John Children.
• Children's pythons will often climb to the roof of caves and snatch out of midair bats that are leaving for their night time feed.
• The Children's python is naturally a very placid snake. For this reason, and its compact size, it is a popular pet.
• A female will lay up to 20 eggs and then wrap her body around these eggs to help protect them and regulate their temperature.

Where Children's Pythons are found in Australia:

Children's Python

Arafura File Snake

Acrochordus arafurae or the Arafura File Snake

The Arafura file snake inhabits the lowland freshwater systems of northern Australia and New Guinea. As a non-venomous snake they kill their food (mainly fish) by constriction, much like land-dwelling pythons.  The skin of the file snake is very coarse (hence the name 'file snake'), which enables it to grip the slippery fish it preys on. While quite agile in the water, file snakes are awkward movers on land. Despite this, they can travel for hundreds of metres when necessary.

Arafura File Snake has a remarkably low rate of food intake, but the food that is eaten is digested with great efficiency. It's thought that the scales of the file snake's skin contains sensory organs that help the snakes to find their prey. The file snake is sexually dimorphic, with females generally being much larger, reaching up to 2.5 metres in length.  The males grow to about 1.5 metres long. Female file snakes give birth to up to 27 babies every two or three years.

Did you know...

• The Arafura file snake inhabits the lowland freshwater systems of northern Australia and New Guinea.
• The skin of the file snake is very coarse (hence the name 'File Snake'), which enables it to grip the slippery fish it preys on.
• File snakes have a remarkably low rate of food intake, but the food that is eaten is digested with great efficiency.
• While quite agile in the water, file snakes are awkward movers on land. Despite this, they can travel for hundreds of metres when necessary.

Where File Snakes are found in Australia:

Arafura File Snake

Common Death Adder

Acanthophis antarcticus or the Death Adder

The death adder is a nocturnal venomous snake. Unlike most snakes, the death adder hunts only by ambush. They lie hidden under leaves, waiting for prey to move within striking range. To entice prospective meals their way death adders possess a lure at the end of their tails. The snake moves this lure to make it look like a small worm. The potential predator then becomes the prey.The venom of the death adder is highly neurotoxic, causing muscle paralysis.

Even though a bite victim may be experiencing severe paralysis, antivenom can reverse this and the victim will usually experience a full recovery.

The death adder is often called the 'deaf adder', but as with all snakes there is an ear on each side of its head. These ears are covered by skin, and aren't visible. It is most likely that snakes can hear, but to a much lesser degree than humans. They are very sensitive to vibrations through their body. Death adders come in a wide variety of colours, ranging from greys and browns to reds and vivid oranges. The females produce live young, with clutch sizes often numbering over 12.

Did you know...

• Death adders are one of the fastest-striking snakes in Australia.
• Female death adders give birth to live young which, even when just minutes old, can still deliver a fatal bite.
• Death adders wiggle their worm-like tails to lure prey items within striking range.
• The name 'common death adder' is a bit odd, considering this species is classified as 'rare' due to the destruction of its habitat.
• Death adders have an undeserved reputation for ferocity. Sometimes they don't even bite when trodden on!

Where Death Adders are found in Australia:

Death Adder