Carpet Pythons in Captivity and Nature

Carpet Pythons - these Australian beauties weave a spell over all who see them.

Carpet Pythons In The Wild

by Charles Acheson

Australian carpet pythons are unquestionably popular pythons among the general public, and most Australians have at some stage seen one of them in the wild. Usually, these people can recollect seeing one while on holiday - often, unfortunately, as roadkill. Throughout much of Australia, people in the countryside report seeing carpet pythons on ceiling beams in old sheds, in chicken roosts or even draped over their balconies.

As a "Sydneysider", I regularly get calls from people in the suburbs adjoining bushland, asking me to remove diamond pythons (Morelia spilota) from their dwellings. I've found carpets under residents' roofs and even basking at poolside, enjoying the morning sun. Ironically, the majority of herpetologists who live in diamond python areas have seen relatively few in the wild. Like the eastern  blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua scincoides), these pythons are more often seen on the fringes of suburbia than they are when purposely sought in the wild.

Carpet pythons are usually seen in the wild, either basking during the cooler months in an attempt to get warm, or at night during the summer. It is quite common to see carpet pythons in Northern Australia basking in "windows" of sunlight on the forest floor, or with a few coils hanging out of a tree hollow.

Types Of Carpet Pythons

Several species of carpet python have been identified across Australia, including Morelia spilota, M. macdowelli, M. variegata, M. cheynei, M. imbricata, M. metcalfei and M. bredli. The "type species" in the carpet python is actually the diamond python; this is due to its having been first described rather than to any revolutionary theory.

Morelia spilota has a limited range on the coast of New South Wales (NSW), from Port Macquarie on the midcoast to the border of Victoria in the south. Considered by some to be one of the most beautiful pythons in the world, the diamond python varies considerably throughout its range. It inhabits dry and wet sclerophyll forests and sandstone escarpments throughout its range.

In general, it exhibits less patterning in the south, with increasing degrees of mottled pattern as it reaches its northern extralimital range. The juvenile diamond is colored like the carpet python as a neonate and develops its "diamond" pattern as it reaches maturity. Around the midcoast of NSW, the carpet/diamond distinction becomes vague. Often the animals are clearly a mixture of both forms, ranging from predominantly carpet to mostly diamond. This coastal area is officially known to have natural populations of hybrids. These animals are fertile and reproduce readily in captivity.

Morelia macdowelli inhabits southeast Queensland and finds its way down into NSW, to the "hybrid" area of the mid-coast. The "coastal carpet" is the biggest of the carpet python species, occasionally reaching lengths nearing 10 feet and regularly attaining about 8 feet. It is common within its range and does not appear to be secretive like the diamond python. It exhibits a dark, mottled mustard, brown and black pattern, in general, which is an extremely effective camouflage. Once again, these snakes inhabit forested areas.

Morelia variegata, the top-end carpet python, is the most widespread of the carpet pythons, ranging from Cape York in the north of Queensland to the Kimberley Ranges of northern Western Australia. The types of forest that these animals can be found in is variable. Within their range they can be found marauding in most habitat areas. This species' coloration is often lighter and more colorful than its southeastern relative's.

Morelia cheynei, or the jungle carpet python as it is more commonly know, is a very distinctive creature not only because of its striking coloration, but also because of its nature. The jungle carpet comes in two main color phases: the cream and brown phase (less well known) and the spectacular and popular gold and black phase. These animals predominate in the Atherton Tablelands behind Cairns in Queensland, making their way in some areas to the coast. Within most of its range the winter overnight temperatures can be in the low-30-degree Fahrenheit range. Strangely, they are occasionally seen in undulating farmland, as these areas were once regal stands of rain forest. Along with its striking coloration, the jungle carpet is also known for its secretive, sometimes "snappy" nature. Herpetologists have found this snake to be an occasionally finicky feeder, particularly straight out of the wild.

Morelia imbricata, or the southwestern carpet, has, as its name implies an imbricated pattern (that is, its scales appear to overlap, like roof tiles). It is found in Western Australia to the south and on some islands off the southern Australian coast.

Morelia metcalfei, the Murray/Darling carpet, is named after the two rivers that transect the region in which it is found. This species inhabits areas adjacent to these rivers in Victoria, NSW and South Australia. It is a smallish python, rarely exceeding 6 feet, and is known for its good temperament. Its creamy mottled pattern, particularly around the head, is clearly different from its counterparts. This creamy gray coloration continues down the dorsal surface in blotches.

Morelia bredli is a striking python, distinctly different in its coloration. Isolated by thousands of miles of desert and not commonly seen, it inhabits rocky areas and dry riverbeds of central Australia, where it lives in hollows or rock crevices. This snake exhibits some magnificent shades of red and is favourite of many herpetologists.

All the carpet python species eat a variety of food items, including mammals, birds and bats, as well as lizards. Neonates in captivity prefer to eat small lizards, although they can be coaxed into eating pinkies quite readily.

Carpet Pythons: Winter In The Wild

In general, carpet pythons seek north-facing rocky outcrops, tree hollows or fallen timbers in which to spend the winter months. During the overnight drop in temperature they will withdraw into their crevice or hole to retain their body heat as possible.

A common way to see carpet pythons in Queensland is to walk along the "windrows." These are stands of trees that have been felled by property owners in the process of clearing lands. These trees are then bulldozed into rows ready burning. Often, windrows are left untouched for years and become microhabitats for many snakes and other animals.

During winter, one might discover the coils of a carpet python extending out of a burrow within the windrows, soaking up some sun. This lends itself to effective thermoregulation as the snake can simply maneuver itself around from time to time to maintain its exposure and vulnerability. These areas are also a haven for rodents and other mammals that provide food for carpet pythons and a multitude of other predators.

Old barns are another wintertime "hangout" for carpets. In Australia, corrugated iron is still a primary roofing material. Carpet pythons regularly inhabit the roofs of barns where they use the sheet iron as a sort of radiant thermal pad. Many times, I have entered an old shed to see loosely wrapped coils of carpet pythons draped over beams. Usually, these farm sheds are quiet places and harbor a ready supply of rats and bats as food items. Even on an overcast winter day in the Atherton Tablelands of northern Queensland, when the daytime temperature may be only 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, it only takes a few minutes of sun on some sheet iron roofing to allow a carpet python to warm up markedly.

In warmer areas - for example, Darwin, in the top of the Northern Territory, where the overnight lows during winter may only drop to the high 60s and the days may still be over 80 degrees - carpet pythons are more likely to be seen loosely coiled on the forest floor or in hollows.

In spring, most readily found carpet pythons are male, due to their tendency to patrol the forest floor looking for mates during breeding season. Sub-adult specimens are often mobile and easily discovered, as they are yet to establish territories. Females are more sessile in nature, although they will move to various habitats throughout the year to facilitate thermoregulation and egg laying.

Females usually lay eggs on the floor or in hollows and then carefully guard them for the duration of the incubation process. A female may release herself from the clutch in the early morning to bask and then return to her eggs. Depending on the species and the size of the individual, a clutch may number as few as six (in the case of young adult M. cheynei) or more than 20 eggs. While coiled around the eggs, the female can "shiver up" her body temperature above ambient to maintain an optimal temperature for the eggs (as mentioned in the captive care section).

There have been sightings of aggregations of diamond pythons in the spring, where numerous males will collect around a single female in an attempt to mate with her. According to those who have witnessed such spectacles, it can come as quite surprise to an unsuspecting bushwalker, although I must stress that this is not commonly seen.

Generally hardy in captivity, the carpet python is the species that's most commonly kept by Australian hobbyists.

Carpet Pythons In Captivity by Bob Clark

Carpet pythons are slender, medium-sized pythons with prehensile tails. They have proportionately large heads and narrow necks. Carpet pythons have an extensive range across Australia and in neighboring New Guinea and Irian Jaya. Adults range from 4 to 9 feet or more, depending on type. There is also considerable variation in color and pattern among the different varieties and within each type. They make great captives and have become very popular in recent years.

Popular Python

A major reason for their popularity is the carpet pythons seem especially well suited to life in captivity. The very large number of this species currently being kept and bred in this country is a testament to this. I got my first pair of carpet pythons in 1980, but before that time, I'd never seen a live one!

Although most of the non-native reptiles that became established in captivity were, and continue to be, imported in large numbers, this is not true for the carpet pythons. Australia has not allowed the export of its wildlife since the 1960s. The animals in captivity in this country today are descended from only a very few animals that have found their way to America, probably as imports from other countries. The fairly recent availability of the Irian Jaya carpet pythons is more typical of the way new types of pythons become established in captivity. First a few are imported, followed by increasing numbers as the buying public becomes familiar with them. Eventually, some of the animals acclimate well enough to breed and these form the basis for the captive-produced population.

Part of my job as a breeder and seller of snakes is to answer questions and give advice on how to care for animals I sell. I noticed recently that even though I deal with many species of boas and pythons, the information I gave was remarkably similar for all of them. Most members of the family Boidae thrive in captivity under fairly similar conditions. Carpet pythons can be maintained under the same conditions that are suitable for most other boas and pythons.

Enclosure Basics

Let's start with the snake's cage. The enclosure serves several purposes. First, and most obvious, is to keep the snake confined. Second, the cage must comprise an environment suitable for the snake. The enclosure must also allow easy viewing of its inhabitant. As long as the cage fulfills these requirements, the specifics of its construction are not important.

I favor some of the plastic cages with sliding glass fronts. These cages are easy to clean, readily available - and someone else has made them already! I'm not especially handy, so the ready-made aspect really appeals to me. Those with ability in this area can construct enclosures from plywood. Paint the wood and seal the joints to help maintain humidity. Allow for ventilation, but be aware that too much ventilation will make it difficult to maintain a proper environment inside.

I like to have a couple of small vents in the sides of the cage, as vents place on the top of the cage can cause the cage to lose heat unnecessarily. Adding additional heat not only wastes energy, but it also dries the cage's interior. Glass aquaria are adequate if they are fitted with a solid top; screen tops are generally not suitable because they do not retain moisture. Act Natural

We keep snakes because we like them. We are interested in their behavior and all aspects of their lives. For this reason, I like enclosures with a large viewing area. The snake's perspective on this, however, may differ a little. In the wild, a snake may not spend much of its time out in the open during daylight. This exposes the animal to predators and makes its search for food less effective. Although our captive snakes are not in the wild, they are still programmed by instinct to behave in and react in certain ways. Departures from a snake's expectations or "programming" may stress the animal and ultimately interfere with its health.

A large viewing area is great for us; for the snake, however, the loss of privacy may be a source of excessive stress. Providing the snake with a place to conceal itself is a compromise that can work for both parties. A snake that feels secure in its cage will be more likely to exhibit normal behaviour, including feeding and even breeding, if given the opportunity. Many husbandry and acclimation problems can be traced back to improper caging.

How Big Is Big Enough?

The size of the cage depends on the size of the snake. But contrary to popular opinion, bigger isn't always better. I start my baby carpets in plastic containers measuring 13 inches by 7 inches by 3 inches. It is easier to maintain a warm, humid environment for the little snakes in small enclosures, and it's more likely that they will have frequent contact with food items during their first few feedings. Larger snakes will require larger cages, of course. Most adult carpets will be comfortable in a cage measuring 48 inches by 24 inches by 18 inches.

As a commercial producer of reptiles, I have objectives different from most snake keepers', but as long as the minimum requirements are met, the snakes do well. At my facility, accommodations are fairly Spartan. Enclosures are the minimum acceptable size and sparsely furnished to say the least: Each size has a water bowl and a hide box, and that's all. Even under these conditions, the snakes will thrive and breed.

Temperature and Humidity

Carpet pythons, like most boas and pythons, are from tropical areas. They require conditions of temperature and humidity that are higher than most of us would consider comfortable in our homes. To keep them successfully in captivity, we need to provide them with the proper conditions. This will, in most cases, require supplemental heat in the enclosure. Cages can be heated by a variety of means, including light bulbs, heat pads or tape, or ceramic heaters. As long as the proper temperatures are provided, the heating method doesn't really matter.

In the wild, snakes can choose a desired temperature. A snake seeking warmth can bask, for example. A snake that wants to cool off can retreat to the shade or to a burrow. We can give captive snakes some choices as well. By placing the heat source on one end of the enclosure it is possible to provide the snake with the maximum thermal gradient. The snake can choose a position near the heat source if it wants to be cooler. A temperature range of 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal.

In some cases, the heat source itself will be much warmer than 90 degrees. The temperature directly over a heat pad or under a light bulb may be much warmer. As long as the snakes can retreat to a cooler place, there is benefit in making the choice available.

Although we must, at minimum, reproduce the essential aspects of a snake's habitat to be successful in maintaining it, reproducing some of the non-essentials might enhance the captive experience for both the keeper and the kept. Carpet pythons will utilize a cage's vertical dimension if given opportunity. Providing branches for climbing makes watching the snakes more enjoyable, and I like to think that the snakes think it's a good thing as well. variously sized branches, logs for hiding and artificial foliage might serve to make the snake's environment more attractive, but they make it more difficult to service the enclosure and keep it clean. Naturally planted vivaria with soil and live plants are nearly impossible to maintain for snakes the size of carpet pythons.

Feeding and Breeding

Captive carpet pythons eat the full range of available warm-blooded food items. Baby carpets can be started on pinkie or fuzzy mice. As the snakes grow, they will eventually take adult mice, small rats and eventually large rats. Some of the larger individuals will take small rabbits.

Generally, if a baby carpet can eat a couple of pinkies it can easily take a fuzzy mouse. If it can eat more than one fuzzy mice it can probably take a weanling mouse and so on, until you are offering the largest rat. I don't worry much about trying larger and larger food items. It it's too big, the snake won't it eat, and no harm done.

Often the snakes don't know either and try to eat something that is too big for them. We all learn as we go.

Breeding carpets is simple and straightforward. As with most boids, they respond well to a slight drop in temperature at night in the fall. Copulation occurs between sexually mature animals throughout the winter. In my facility, carpets lay eggs in April and May; the eggs hatch in June or July. Clutch size varies from 6 eggs to 25 or more. Incubation time is relatively short for pythons, lasting 55 days or less. Carpet pythons are what we humans would classify as "good mothers." Females coil around their eggs during the entire incubation period, leaving only occasionally to bask.

Carpets are able to increase their body temperature during incubation. The process of shivering thermogenesis is similar to shivering humans: Small muscle contractions generate heat that is used to incubate the eggs. Carpet pythons may also bask during the incubation period, absorbing heat from the sun and then transferring it to eggs.

Even though they are cold-blooded animals, female carpet pythons can keep their eggs at a fairly constant temperature throughout incubation. Alternately, eggs can be incubated artificially in damp water vermiculite at 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Good results can be obtained with either method. If the necessary temperature and humidity requirements are met, the eggs will hatch. Hatchling carpets are about 15 inches long.

These pythons make great captive subjects and are becoming increasingly available in the pet trade. Carpets can be obtained in reptile specialty stores or from any of the many breeders of the species. Carpet pythons are interesting and attractive animals.

Tiger Snake for Breakfast

Tiger Snake: an unlikely breakfast?

Gold Coast naturalist David Fleay recalls the time, collecting snakes for Commonwealth Serum Laboratories anti-venene research, he and his companion hit on the idea of the snake as food.

Moira Lakes upstream from Echuca, along the big bend of the Murray crawls with snakes.

Only droughts knock their numbers back and even these natural disasters serve merely as temporary checks.

I first came across this 'snakiest' place in all Australia in 1926 as a wandering kid on a push bike marveling at first of the river swamps and their mighty flocks of birds.

Those days, local Aborigines had not been pushed into settlements but hunted happily as of yore. They speared cod from hollowed out redgum craft and lived in humpies.

Bu the Tiger Snakes, then as now, dominated the scene -- a fact forcibly noticeable when the snow waters flooded down in October, isolating box ridges and the higher river banks for weeks or even  months at a time.

Then, if so inclined, you didn't need to go on a binge at Barmah Pub to get the horrors.

Landings on flood-girt high spots in the morning sun began an all-pervading series of slitherers, accompanied by the incredible spectacle of the Tigers by the score racing into piled up debris.

Less fortunate snakes sun-basked three, six, 10 or 13 metres above water level in and about the loose bark of ancient isolated eucalypts.

No wonder in later days of antivenene work, we could amass 80 to 100 'milkers' in a morning's work.

One evening, by the camp fire with snake bags full and tied and passing night herons attempting to croak above the mighty roar of amorous frogs, my mate speculated about Burke and Wills.

In their desperate need for some form of sustenance, had they ever  considered snake as food? That did it, for, tough as we reckoned we were, we'd never tested such a possibility ourselves.

Next morning, a passing tiger snake was killed, beheaded, skinned and cleaned.

The fact that our victim carried parasitic nematode worms packed in its stomach almost halted the culinary experiment, but curiosity triumphed and the carcass was then boiled for 15 minutes in salty water.

Finally we fried our quarry in butter and sat on a log for a tiger snake breakfast.

Still not quite convinced we'd removed the very potent venom by decapitation, my mate said his only grace before a meal for the entire trip!

However, almost immediately his apprehensions to eat the tiger snake vanished like the mists of morning.

That fat old Tiger was delicious - a kind of cross flavour between fish, eel and chicken.

It was completely consumed and we didn't even begin to hiss.

Considering that canned Rattlesnake sells from the shelves in USA and crocodile meat has its devotees, why not Tiger Snake fillets or Mulga munchies for Australian gourmets?

What a marvelous idea for the money-spinning entrepreneurs of Surfer's Paradise!

Snake Catchers Snakes Alive!

The snake catchers of Alice Springs rush to answer residents' cries for help - to ensure the safety of the reptile causing the panic.

Story by Liz Johnswood Pictures by Peter Watkins

If you discover a snake at the bottom of your garden and you live in Alice Springs, don't panic - just send for the snake catchers of the Alice. There's Bruce Munday, an incredibly laid-back, fiercely mustached chap who will come to the rescue as quick as a flicker of fang. Or there are the rangers of the Northern Territory Conservation Commission (NTCC), big willing fellows who'd rather face a snake any day than a nasty bush litterer.

Bruce, an animal keeper at Alice Reptile World, and Greg Fyfe, head ranger stationed just out of town at the historic Telegraph Station, filled us in on the reasons behind the creepy service they offer residents.

"We're really more interested in protecting the snakes than the people," Greg explained dealing a blow to the human ego/ "It's illegal to kill snakes in the Territory, but if they're found within 100 metres of your home, that law doesn't apply. It's considered a life-threatening situation, so frightened people start whacking."

Bruce agreed. "You have to get there in a hurry or it's curtains for the snake. I had one hysterical woman screaming at me as I approached, " Hurry up or I'll dong it!" It was just a baby western brown, but a chap was there fending the poor little devil off with a broom.

"Another chap walked into the reptile house one day clutching a small, dead legless lizard that looked as if it had been run over by a Sherman tank. He'd seen a lot of them around the place and wanted it identified.

"The trouble is, with most people anything that hasn't got legs is a deadly king brown or a death adder out to get them," he said.

They can "get" them, too. Like most Australian snakes, the snakes of the Centre are highly venomous -- death adders, eastern and western browns, vicious tiger snakes and a few others.

"It's safer for people to call in snake catchers than tackle them themselves," Greg said. "You can't be too gung-ho about it, either. I've been almost bitten by an eastern brown because of carelessness.

"Anyone trying to kill one of these fellows could be in trouble. They're big, nasty and very fast. They stand their ground, up in a typical aggressive S-bend, mouth agape, hissing like mad.

"We use a snake stick to pin them down while we grab them and I've had an angry eastern brown coming up the stick at me. They are the crankiest snakes I've ever handled." shared by one of the snake catchers

"Most people call us or Bruce or the wildlife people. We place an advertisement in the local newspaper every now and again, telling people to get in touch. It's better than taking risks."

Most of the serpents the snake catchers caught are taken well out into the bush and let go. A few are kept for educational purposes. "Sometimes we get an interesting snake and keep it for a while to do talks to kids at schools. We let them pat the snakes and teach them that they're not slimy creatures," Greg explained.

Bruce keeps a few "magnificent specimens" to add to the reptile house and uses them in talks to groups on the correct method of treating snakebite.

"There are two basic principles," he said. " First you put pressure on the skin over the bite by binding it up and splinting it to keep the limb perfectly still. Then you get a doctor as fast as possible. Don't do ant barn-dances on the way and save the whisky for after the cure. If a bite is treated this way, it can take at least seven hours for it to be fatal."

In the Territory as a whole, Greg says, the rangers get about 800 call-outs a year. Some of these are to tend injured birds or animals, but the majority of calls are for snake catchers task.

"You get snakes in the house, in swimming pools and in gardens," he said. "You even get them in the street."

Not infrequently, the troublemakers are snakes which have been kept illegally as pets. "We picked up one 3-metre olive python that must have come illegally from Queensland," Greg explained. "The suspicious large bulge in his belly turned out to be the caller's prize duck. However, we never did catch the snake's owner."

Poultry yards and bird cages are favourite restaurants for snakes. They track down their prey by picking up scent particles in the air, home in, have a feed and can't get out because they're fatter than when they slid in.

Both Bruce and Greg are snake buffs (snake catchers in the future) from way back. As a youngster, Bruce delighted in catching copperheads on a golf course near where he lived in Tasmania, and scaring his mother silly. Greg was doing pretty much the same on the mainland.

Trainee ranger Peter Mckenzie, who works with Greg, got his training in courage and cunning by pinching crocodile eggs around Darwin, so snakes don't scare him. "We'd take the eggs from nests that were likely to be flooded and the eggs lost, then incubate them," Peter said.

Snake Catchers job or pinching croc eggs -- it's a sure thing not too many will be trying to take the jobs from these intrepid fellows!

Care Sheet: Children's Python

Introduction on Childrens Python

This care sheet is for beginners and covers the basic maintenance of this group of pythons. You should join your local herpetological society, where you can meet others and obtain more detailed information on the keeping of these pythons.

The term "childrens python" is used to describe a group of small, rock dwelling pythons known as Childrens Python (Antaresia Childreni), Small Blotched Pythons (Antaresia Maculosa) and Large Blotched Pythons or Stimsons Python (Antaresia Stimsoni). Contrary to popular belief these pythons are not known as Children Python because it is the snake for children but because Antaresia Childreni was named after Mr. J.G. Children, an English naturalist. The Eastern Small Blotched Python and Childrens Python are most commonly bred by reptile keepers and hence most readily available, although Stimsons Python is also sometimes available.

Childrens Python: Caging

Childrens python need to be kept indoors. An aquarium with a close fitting and secure lid is the simplest type of cage. Wooden cages with glass fronts retain heat better and are preferred by some keepers. Remember that snakes are expert at escaping and can squeeze through very small spaces, so you must make quite sure there are no gaps or holes. Small snakes do not need big cages.

One or two adult Childrens Python can be housed in a 1 meter long cage which is 40 to 60 centimeter wide. Hatchlings can be kept in smaller cages or plastic containers 30cm x 20cm and be moved to larger cages as they grow.

The bottom of the cage can be covered with aquarium gravel, coarse sand, leaf litter or bark. Some keepers just put down newspaper or butchers paper. Whatever material is used must be kept dry and clear. Faeces must be removed promptly and the floor covering material replaced it it gets damp or soiled, and certainly completely changed every few months.

Cage furniture should be kept to minimum. A stable water dish is essential and should be of a type that the snake cannot push under and spill the water. A suitable hiding place for each snake is also essential. This can be a cardboard box which provides a snug fit for the snake. Even curled pieces of bark under which the snake can curl are suitable. Plants, rocks, logs, etc. are optional. They can be dangerous for the animal if not secure, and they can make it difficult to retrieve and remove the snake from the cage safely. The more the cage is cluttered up, the more it takes time to clean and the greater the risk of accidents.

Childrens Python: Lighting and Heating

Childrens pythons are nocturnal although they will come out during the day. If the cage is situated in a room that gets plenty of sunlight then the lighting in the cage is mainly to provide heat. A word of caution, do not place cage in direct sunlight as temperatures within the cage could reach lethal levels. It takes only a few minutes for a snake to die from overheating.

As incandescent globes give off heat, these can be used to raise the temperature in the cage which should provide a range of temperatures so that the snake can move to a warmer or cooler spot as it wishes. The temperature range should be from about 35 to 25 degree Celsius and can be accomplished by placing the light source at one end of the cage to create a hot spot and by the use of heating devices such as hot rocks, heating pads or heat strips. A thermometer must be used to check the temperature levels in the cage until these are stabilized. Don't try and guess the temperature.

Childrens Python: Feeding

Adults can be fed every 10 to 14 days. One fully grown mouse will usually be sufficient. Juveniles should be fed at least weekly starting off on one or two new born "pinkie" mice and progressing to larger mice as they grow.

Hatchlings that are reluctant to take mice can usually be encouraged to do so by washing and drying the mouse to reduce the mouse scent. Another method is to scent the mouse by rubbing it with a lizard. It is not necessary to feed live animals to snakes. Almost all snakes will take dead mice, either freshly killed or thawed frozen mice. It might be necessary for the first couple of feeds to wriggle the mouse around a bit to get the snakes attention.

Frozen mice must be completely thawed out before being offered to the snake and if not eaten must be discarded. Do not refreeze mice that have been defrosted.

Childrens Python: Diseases/Illnesses

These are outside the scope of this basic care sheet. Any unusual behaviour or signs of illnesses should be discussed with an experienced keeper or with a veterinary surgeon. If you suspect something is wrong, act immediately, don't leave it. Early diagnosis and treatment is important.

Weigel, J. (1988) Care of Australian Reptiles in Captivity, Reptile Keepers -

Further Reading on Childrens Python.

Keelback Snakes

Tropidonophis mairii or Keelback Snakes

Keelback snakes are non-venomous snakes that love to eat frogs, tadpoles and lizards. Unlike most other Australian animals, keelback snakes can eat baby cane toads. They appear to be immune to low doses of cane toad toxin. This species, also know as the freshwater snake is very widespread, and variable in colour. Keelback snakes shelter and forage under debris, especially fallen timber and bushes; under clumps of vegetation, and even in the water.

Keelback snakes look very similar to the highly venomous Rough-scaled snake. The keelback snake is the only member of this genus found in Australia. There are 17 other species found throughout Malaysia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. When disturbed, keelback snakes can emit a foul-smelling odour from anal scent glands.

Did you know...

• Keelback snakes are non-venomous snakes that love to eat frogs, tadpoles and lizards.
• Unlike most other Australian animals, keelback snakes can eat baby cane toads. They are immune to low doses of cane toad toxin.
• Keelback snakes look very similar to the highly venomous rough scaled snake.
• The keelback snake is the only member of this genus found in Australia. There are 17 other species found throughout Malaysia, Indonesia, and New Guinea.

Where to find Keelback Snakes in Australia:

When disturbed, Keelback Snakes can emit a foul-smelling odour from anal scent glands.

Rough-scaled Snake

Tropidechis carinatus or Rough scaled Snake

Rough scaled snake is often confused with the harmless Keelback Snake. Both have rough scales that help them to climb. The Rough scaled snake has relatively long fangs, and a highly neuro-toxic venom. Recipients of a Rough scaled Snake bite often fall into unconsciousness within minutes of being bitten. Rough scaled Snake is closely related to the Tiger Snake group, and Tiger Snake anti-venom will effectively neutralize their venom.

The Rough scaled Snake species grow up to about 1 metre. They're one of the few venomous Australian snakes that can regularly be found climbing trees.

To locate their prey a rough scaled snake will actively hunt, or wait to ambush, any small mammals, frogs, birds, or reptiles they can find.As with virtually all snakes, it is a shy, nervous creature that would rather flee than fight, but if provoked it can become quite aggressive.From 5 to 18 large, live young are produced every second year.

Did you know...

• Rough scaled Snake is often confused with the harmless keelback snake. Both have rough scales that help them to climb.
• The rough scaled snake has relatively long fangs, and a highly neurotoxic venom. Recipients of a rough-scaled snake bite often fall into unconsciousness within minutes of being bitten.
• Rough scaled snake is most closely related to the tiger snake group, and tiger snake antivenom will effectively neutralise their venom.
• From 5 to 18 large, live young are produced every second year.

Where The Rough Scaled Snake dwell in Australia:

Rough scaled snake can grow up to about 1 metre, and they're one of the few venomous Australian snakes that can regularly be found climbing trees.

Slaty-grey Snake

Stegonotus cucullatus or Slaty grey Snake

The non-venomous Slaty grey Snake is found on Cape York Peninsula of North Queensland and the northern part of the Northern Territory. They feed on fishes (including eels), tadpoles, frogs, lizards, reptile eggs and small mammals. When feeding on small mammals, the Slaty grey Snake constricts its prey in a python-like fashion. When hunting they will happily climb into low shrubs or rocky banks in the vicinity of frog breeding sites.

If cornered or grasped Slaty grey snake will respond by biting repeatedly and emitting a pungent, unforgettable odour.The female is an egg layer.These snakes are found in coastal plains and dunes, watercourses, slopes and ranges in tropical shrublands, woodlands and forests, including rainforests.They are normally found near swamps, billabongs and water courses that contain frogs and small fish.

Did you know...

• The non-venomous slaty grey snake is found on Cape York Peninsula of North Queensland and the northern part of the Northern Territory.
• The female Slaty grey Snake is an egg-layer.
• If cornered or grasped, Slaty grey Snake will respond by biting repeatedly and emitting a pungent, unforgettable odour.
• When feeding on small mammals, the slaty grey snake constricts its prey in a python-like fashion.

Where to find Slaty grey Snake in Australia:

Slaty grey Snake feed on fishes (including eels), tadpoles, frogs, lizards, reptile eggs and small mammals.

Eastern Brown Snake

Pseudonaja textilis or Eastern Brown Snake

This is a large, diurnal (active during the day), dangerously venomous snake. We often get carried away with the potency of a snake's venom, but the distribution and temperament of the animal is also an issue. In the last decade the Eastern Brown Snake has become the cause of most snakebite deaths in Australia. This is not because these animals are more aggressive - quite the contrary. When an Eastern Brown Snake is confronted it will lunge at the aggressor out of fear.

The Eastern Brown Snake increased its numbers thanks to man, due primarily to an increase in prey items. Mice and rats are a favourite food, and the increased numbers of these inhabiting rubbish left by humans provide more than enough food for these snakes. They will also happily consume lizards and frogs.

The Eastern Brown Snake is perhaps the most important species of snake from a medical point of view. Textilinin is a derivative of this animal's venom. Textilinin is an inhibitor of plasmin, which is important in dissolving blood clots. Inhibiting plasmin with agents like Textilinin can be used to stop bleeding during major surgery.The Eastern Brown Snake is another snake that is often not true to its name in colour, with shades of brown, grey and black being as common as plain brown. Juveniles can be speckled with orange and are very pretty. Females are egg layers, producing up to 24 eggs.

Did you know...

• The eastern brown snake is a large, diurnal (active during the day), dangerously venomous snake.
• The eastern brown is one snake that has increased its numbers thanks to man, due primarily to an increase in prey items - rats and mice.
• The eastern brown snake is perhaps the most important species of snake from a medical point of view. Textilinin is a derivative of this animal's venom which can be used to stop bleeding during major surgery.
• The eastern brown snake is another snake that is often not true to its name in colour, with shades of brown, grey and black being as common as plain brown.

Distribution of Eastern Brown Snake in Australia:

Juvenile Eastern Brown Snake can be speckled with orange and are very pretty.

Western Brown Snake

Pseudonaja nuchalis or Western Brown Snake

Western brown snake can be found over most of mainland Australia, being noticeably absent from the moister areas of the east, south east and south western Australia. Western Brown Snake shelter in disused mammal burrows and deep soil cracks, and under fallen timber and rocks.During warmer weather these snakes become nocturnal. They feed on small mammals, birds and reptiles, including other snakes.

Western Brown Snake species includes 12 to 16 colour variations, some of which may turn out to be different species. The phylogenetic relationships of the brown snake group are still being investigated. It may turn out that this black-headed form of the western brown snake is actually a separate species.9 to 38 eggs are laid in a clutch from November to January. Once the babies hatch they are completely self-sufficient, and are capable of delivering a dangerously venomous bite to humans.

Did you know...

• During warmer weather Western Brown Snake become nocturnal.
• Western Brown Snake includes 12 to 16 colour variations, some of which may turn out to be different species.
• The phylogenetic relationships of the brown snake group are still being investigated. It may turn out that this blackheaded form of the western brown snake is actually a separate species.
• 9 to 38 eggs are laid in a clutch from November to January. Once the babies hatch they capable of delivering a dangerously venomous bite to humans.

Distribution of Western Brown Snake in Australia:

Western Brown Snake feed on small mammals, birds and reptiles, including other snakes.

Breeding

Childrens Python Breeding

by Matt & Nicci Turner

Despite confusion over its name, the small and easily kept Antaresia childreni is a snake for all.

We think that most biologists, ecologists, paleontologists and other scientists have daydreamed at one point or another of having the honor of being immortalized with the assignment of their surname to describe an organism to science. What a great thing it would be to be among the scientists who have plants and animals named after them -- the D'Albert's python, the Bibron gecko, the Colett's black snake and others. But to what benefit would that honor be to the understanding of the plant or animal? It is neither descriptive nor geographic, and as is the case for Antaresia childreni, often confusing or misleading.

Childrens Python: A Problematic Honor

In naming new species, it was once common to recognize an individual who acted as a mentor or who has had a profound impact to the scientific development and maturation of the person giving the official description. Unfortunately, this great honor is usually only apparent to a small percentage of the population who study the newly named organism, and it means little to the common observer. Such is the case with the Childrens Python (A.childreni).

At first glance, the name can have several meanings. This could be a small python, equating the word "Children's" to small like a child. This could be a python suited for children and one that is often owned as a pet by kids, as evidenced by the apostrophe "s." Or perhaps this is a large and dangerous python rumored to feed upon ill-mannered children of north-central Australia. Indeed, not many people associate the word "Children's" with the English chemist, mineralogist and zoologist J.G.Children, who was the keeper of the zoological collection of the British Museum from 1822 to 1840. Children's successor, John Gray, described the Children's python in 1842 based on a preserved, non-cataloged specimen in the museum's holdings.

Childrens Python: A Natural History

The Childrens python is a member of the genus Antaresia, which it shares the closely related spotted (A. maculosa), large blotched (A. stimsoni) and pygmy (A. perthensis) pythons. Members of this genus are characterized as being of small stature and thin-skinned with earthy coloration and a blotched or spotted pattern. Prior to 1985, all of these species were thought to be forms of the same species and not recognized as distinct. This renders pre-1985 data on childreni essentially useless because it isn't clear which species was actually being studied.

At least one of the preliminary assumption about the Childrens python can be viewed as accurate. It is certainly one of the world's smallest pythons. The adult Childrens pythons on our cage average about 30 inches in length, with one very large female growing to 38 inches. Females are generally larger than males in terms of both length and weight.

These are subtly attractive pythons. While they lack the loud, boisterous colors and patterns of many other species, Childrens python have a quiet beauty. They possess thin, silky skin that reflects a beautiful purplish iridescence in the right lighting. Their eyes are copper to gold with a well-defined pupil. The head is distinctly python in shape with pitted, labial scales around the mouth and the large plate-like scales adorning the top of the head. Adult coloration and pattern varies with the origins of the original bloodline founder animals. All Children python can be colored in earthy tones of brown, tan, rust, and terra cotta. Depending on locality, some retain significant amounts of blotching, and others become nearly patternless with age and maturity. Hatchlings are often boldly patterned with many fragmented blotches of a darker brown or bronze over a pale base color. As soon as they begin feeding and growing, this color pattern begins to fade and the contrast between the blotches and base color begins to decrease.

Children python can be s are found across the north-central portion of Australia, from about the 22nd parallel to the Timor Sea and among several offshore islands. They are found in a variety of habitats ranging from the dry interior to the humid coast, but they are most often found along water-ways within these areas. their preferred micro-habitat seems to be rocky hillsides, outcrops and cave systems, where they hunt other small reptiles and amphibians. Interestingly, The children python is often found in caves, adopting a semi-arboreal lifestyle along the crags and crevices for hunting the many species of small bats in the area.

Childrens Python In Captivity

Captive Children python can make great captives as pets or for study. They are undemanding and low maintenance. They are easily housed and fed because of their diminutive size. They generally have a calm disposition and are easily bred, making them terrific subjects for research too. Fort the last 15, years or so, an abundance of these fascinating small pythons have been available to herpetoculturists, which has also made them quite affordable for most budgets.

Housing childreni can be very basic. They don't require a lot of special treatment to do well. Our adults are housed simply in 32-quart tubs measuring approximately 23 inches long by 16 inches tall. These tubs are contained in a rack system that allows us to eliminate the need for lids. The racks have a section of heat tape at the back of each level providing an 88 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit hot spot on the back floor of the cage. For a substrate, we use shredded aspen bedding at a depth of about 2 inches. We provide a hidebox in the rear of the tub and a water bowl on the cooler end. (Excess humidity should be avoided; humidity needs are naturally met with this setup.) It's that easy. Children python thrive in this simple setup.

If you are more interested in naturalistic vivaria, Children python can be the perfect vivarium occupants. Pythons are often simply too large to be efficiently housed in a showcase-type setup. A pair of adult childreni will do great in a display cage of approximately 48 inches long by 18 inches deep by 24 inches tall. Let your imagination run wild with this setting up a naturalistic cage for this small python. They are at home in a variety of habitats, so sub-desert, woodland and rocky outcrop themes all apply. They will utilize rocky cliffs and large branches, so make sure to stabilize these to prevent them from falling and harming your snakes. Captive Children's are perfectly content to live on mice and small rats. Hatchlings should start on the smallest of pinky mice and quickly graduate through the sizes. Our adults are offered full-grown mice or a couple of rat pups each week. Adult childreni in our care have also readily accepted small chicks.

Making Children Python

The Children's python is one of the easiest pythons to breed in captivity. Feeding should be halted around November 1 to allow them to clean out their gastrointestinal tracts in preparation for their winter cycling. On November 15, we begin to lower the nightime cage temperature weekly, and reduce the ambient light levels and the number of hours the hot spots are on. By the end of November, nightime temps should be down to 68 to 72 degrees, with the daytime temps in the upper 70s. We provide a daytime hot spot of 86 to 88 for about six to eight hours, but it will probably not be utilized much, if at all.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, the pythons are paired up, and the breeding season officially begins. Copulations most often occur at night and are frequent. It is not uncommon to observe breeding activity almost every night for the next couple of months. Breeding activity seems to taper of during the coolest periods from around New Year's Day to February 1. Renewed interest occurs in mid-February as the temperatures begin to return to the usual summer levels.

Ovulation occurs around the lower third of the female's body, and is often witnessed in mid-March through mid-April. Relative to the snake's size, the ovulation swelling can seem huge. At this time, the animals are separated, and feeding soon resumes for the males.

After ovulation, the females soon begin a shed cycle. This shed will seem prolonged and typically lasts five to seven days longer than a normal shed. Once the shed completes, expect eggs in about 28 to 30 days.

The female should be given a secure nestbox in which to deposit her clutch. A small cat litter pan or large butter tub filled with moist sphagnum moss can be used successfully. The average clutch size for us is about a dozen eggs, but other breeders have reported as many as 20 in a clutch. We recommend moving the eggs to an incubator after they are laid to allow the female to regain lost weight for the next breeding season.

If the female is not scheduled to breed again the following year, we recommend trying maternal incubation. This is an intriguing part of python life that is frequently forgotten about in captivity. Female childreni make excellent mothers, and it is most rewarding to see them so what comes naturally. This also allows hobbyists to gain a lot of insight into the incubation process of pythons by taking temperature, humidity and observational notes. Trust me, your findings will lead to more questions, more hypotheses and more knowledge of what happens during python egg incubation.

If artificially incubated, the eggs should only be set up on slightly damp vermiculite. These small eggs have a tendency to absorb too much water and weep yolk if exposed to overly damp conditions. A good vermiculite-to-water ratio is 2-1 for these eggs. At an incubation temperature of 88 to 89 degrees, the eggs should hatch in about 55 days.

Childrens Python: Neonate Care

Hatchling Children's are very tiny snakes, and some extra precautions should be mentioned when setting up the hatchlings. First of all, their small girth should be noted when housing them in rack systems. They can easily squeeze through the tiniest gap, and this makes keeping them in a lidless rack system difficult.

We found what works best is tp house them individually in 6 1/4 inch-diameter deli cups. The cups can be punched around the rim with tiny ventilation holes for air exchange. They can be the placed on a thermostat-controlled strip of 3-inch heat tape to provide a hot spot. Make sure only a third or so of the cup is directly on the tape to prevent overheating. A 2-ounce soufflé cup makes a great water bowl, and a folded piece of newspaper on top the aspen creates a sufficient hide.

Feeding new hatchlings can also be tough because of their small size. We generally offer food about three weeks once they shed and fully digest their yolk. No more than a day-old pinky mouse can be offered. Fortunately, this size is easy to come by if you breed your own mice, and most frozen rodent distributors will fill orders for one-day-old pinkies.

Most of our hatchlings have started feeding on live newborn mice, but a few need some assistance. There is a percentage of each clutch that holds out for foods that smell more like their natural prey, and lizard scenting becomes necessary. Anoles work well for this, as does the shed skin of skinks and geckos. Sometimes one or two babies in a clutch will be extra rebellious and require a few assist feedings. We use pieces of mouse tail for this. Just break the tail off of a frozen rodent, let it thaw and cut it into 1-inch sections. Insert the piece into the snake's mouth, and most often the baby will do the rest. This is not very nutritious, but it provides a good calcium boost and has saved many baby snakes for us over the years.

Final Thoughts on Childrens Python

The Children python is a great small species to keep. These pythons are undemanding in care and easy to breed. These factors make them terrific study subjects as well as pets. They also offer great change of pace for breeders working with larger snakes and provide a back-to-basics project for even the most seasoned herpers.

We believe that true herpetoculturists can find interest and fascination with any reptile, whether they are "money makers" or not. While Childrens python is considered investment animals, they are great, easy-to-care-for snakes that deserve recognition.

Red-bellied Black Snake

Pseudechis porphyriacus or Red-bellied Black Snake

The Red-bellied Black Snake is a diurnal (day time) predator. The average length for this snake is 1.5 metres, but they can reach a length of 2.7 metres. They enjoy living around watercourses and marshy grounds, as their favourite foods (frogs, eels and lizards) are usually found in these areas. The introduction of the Cane Toad almost wiped this species out. Fortunately there seemed to be a number of Red-bellied Black Snakes that chose not to eat toads. These animals seem to have passed this trait on to their offspring, resulting in Red-bellied Black Snake population numbers becoming more secure.

The Red-bellied Black Snake is a shy and docile snake. Red Bellies have been known to strike with their mouths closed to scare off unwanted attackers, which is contrary to their reputation as ferocious animals. The venom of the Red-bellied Black Snake is quite low in potency compared with most other venomous species. Its venom possesses procoagulant (blood-clotting) and myolytic (muscle-destroying) activity. It is not unusual for necrosis (tissue death) to occur at the bite site.

The Red Bellied Black Snake bears live babies, with litters of up to 20 not uncommon.

Did you know...

• The average length for the red-bellied black snake is 1.5 metres, but they can reach a length of 2.7 metres.
• The venom of the red-bellied black snake is quite low in potency compared with most other venomous species.
• Red bellies have been known to strike with their mouths closed to scare off unwanted attackers, which is contrary to their reputation as ferocious animals.
• The red-bellied black snake bears live babies.

Where Red-Bellies can be found in Australia:

The introduction of the cane toad almost wiped the Red-bellied Black Snake species out.

Spotted Black Snake

Pseudechis guttatus or Spotted Black Snake

When is a black snake NOT black? Colour variation among most species of black snake is extreme. The Spotted Black Snake can range from cream to orange to black, with speckling or without. As with other members of the Black Snake family, the Spotted Black Snake is not an aggressive animal. When provoked, they will often flatten their heads to appear larger and more threatening.

The Spotted Black Snake grows to an average length of 1.2 metres. Their diet consists of lizards, frogs, small mammals, and other snakes. They are an egg laying snake, with the female producing approximately 13 eggs in a clutch.

The venom of the Spotted Black Snake contains a coagulant, an anticoagulant, haemolysin, a haemorrhagin, and a neurotoxin. The preferred antivenom is specific Black Snake. If this is unavailable, Tiger Snake antivenom will give adequate cross protection.

Did you know...

• The spotted black snake can range from cream to orange to black, with speckling or without.
• Even though there is a specific black snake antivenom, tiger snake antivenom is used to treat bites from the spotted black snake.
• As with other members of the black snake family, the spotted black snake is not an aggressive animal. When provoked, they will often flatten their heads to appear larger and more threatening.
• The spotted black snake grows to an average length of 1.2 metres.

Where in Australia Spotted Black Snakes dwell:

The spotted black snake has a diet consisting of lizards, frogs, small mammals, and other snakes.

Collett's Snake

Pseudechis colletti or Colletts Snake

An inhabitant of the Black Soil Plains of central western Queensland, Colletts Black Snake is considered one of Australia's most beautiful snakes. The colour of individuals ranges from brown to cream to red, with dark bands or spots. The environment in which this snake lives is harsh and arid, where during the summer months the ground temperature often exceeds 45 degrees Celcius. The only way to escape from the extreme heat is to go deep underground. The snakes achieve this by utilising the deep cracks that appear in the ground. The Colletts Snake can reach a maximum length of 2.5 metres. Mature animals often become very thick in the body and as a consequence are heavy and strong.

As with all members of the Black Snake family, the Colletts Snake is not inclined to bite. Their venom has a number of low molecular weight toxins and two separate myolytic proteins. It has the potential to produce myoglobinuria. There is also high phospholipase activity. Colletts Snake feed on rodents, other reptiles, birds, and frogs.

On rainy nights when the burrowing frogs come up from underground, these snakes will come out to feast.This is a rarely-seen animal in the wild and there are possibly more of these animals in captivity than now live on the Plains. Females are egg layers, producing approximately 8 to 20 eggs in a clutch.

Did you know...

• Colletts snake is considered one of Australia's most beautiful snakes.
• The environment in which this snake lives is harsh and arid, where during the summer months the ground temperature often exceeds 45 degrees Celcius.
• The Colletts snake can reach a maximum length of 2.5 metres. Mature animals often become very thick in the body and as a consequence are heavy and strong.

Where in Australia Colletts Snake can be found:

As with all members of the Black Snake family, the Colletts snake is not inclined to bite.

Traveling Snake Seeks Suburban Home

"You can take the snake out of the backyard, but you can't take the backyard out of the snake."

Some snakes appear to have a distinct preference for living in suburbia - and are skilled at disguising their presence among us.

Research by a La Trobe University zoology student has revealed these unexpected findings, and other unusual facts about Melbourne's Tiger Snakes.

Tracking translocated Tiger Snakes implanted with transmitters, Bachelor of Science (Conservation Biology and Ecology) Honours student, Heath Butler found that some prefer suburban to rural life.

Four of eight snakes tracked after translocation from suburban backyards to a regional park between August last year and March this year headed straight out of the park into other suburban backyards about a kilometre away.

And when taken from their new backyard home back to the park, they again turned up in the same backyard.

All snakes are protected in Victoria. Under Department of Sustainability and Environment policy, snakes captured in 'inappropriate' locations are translocated to a suitable habitat within five kilometres of their capture point, or euthanased.

"It seems that snakes were so used to the good life in suburbia - with readily-available water and food - that they headed straight back into a similar environment when relocated into the unfamiliar landscape of parkland," Mr. Butler said.

There was another surprising result. By monitoring the snakes' daily habits, Mr Butler believes he may have debunked the old idea that snakes are active only in very hot weather. "The Eastern Tiger Snakes (Notechis scutatus) I worked with appear more likely to be active on relatively cool, sunny days. They disappear, at least between 12 noon and 2 pm, on days when temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius," he says.

Curious about snakes since his adolescent years at Port Fairy, Mr. Butler conducted his research, sponsored by three interested parties - Parks Victoria, Australian Geographic and the Melbourne Zoo.

He worked initially with several of the 45 Victorians licensed to catch snakes in 'inappropriate' - read urban and suburban - areas and to release them on public land.

Melbourne Zoo veterinarians surgically inserted tiny transmitters into eight snakes captured in suburban backyards within five kilometres of Westerfolds Park, Templestowe.

These snakes were then released in the park. Six snakes resident in the park were also implanted with transmitters then released at their site of capture. Mr. Butler then electronically monitored their movements and other activities.

"Translocation had such significant effects on the behaviour of the snakes that the relevant authorities may wish to re-examine its success as a strategy to reduce human-snake conflict," he said.

"The two groups of snakes - residents of the park and those translocated - behave differently. Although the health of translocated snakes remained similar to the local snakes, they exhibited home ranges about six times that of the locals and half the translocated snakes headed off to suburban backyards within a kilometre or so of the park.

"It seems that they are quite happy in suburbia, probably because of well-watered gardens and sufficient food, possibly frogs. Most people were unaware of a snake in their backyard until I informed them."

Over the eight months he captured snakes on 70 occasions, noting their location and monitoring their condition. His catching method was simple. Locate the snake with his tracking equipment, seize it by tail - with bare hands as gloves are too cumbersome - and drop it into a bag.

Mr. Butler was bitten only once, on the hand, but recovered fully after an anti-venom injection. He says his research findings may have been influenced by the drought, which could have made well-watered suburban backyards unusually attractive as snake habitats.

But the season would have had little effect on some other findings, such as the bigger the snake, the better it was at concealment. 1.2 metres long are some of the snake he handled.

Spotted Mulga Snake

Pseudechis butleri or Spotted Mulga Snake

Did you know...

• Spotted mulga snake, sometimes called Butler's mulga snakes, are found in a small area in central Western Australia.
• Spotted Mulga Snake is named after Harry Butler, well-known TV naturalist.
• Spotted mulga snake is related to common mulga snakes, or king brown snakes. the same antivenom is used to treat bites from both species.

Where Spotted Mulga Snake can be found in Australia:

Spotted Mulga Snake eat a mainly reptiles, but will also take mammals.

Mulga Snake

h2<>Pseudechis australis or the Mulga Snake

The Mulga Snake is the heaviest of Australia's venomous snakes, and they also have the widest distribution. A large adult can reach a length of 3 metres. They have the largest venom output of any Australian snake. A 1.65 metre specimen once delivered 5 mL in one bite, which equates to 600 mg of dried venom. The Mulga Snake is in the Black Snake family, but because of its brown colour these animals are often thought to be in the Brown Snake family. Mulga Snake venom affects the skeletal musculature, being mainly haemolytic and cytotoxic, but it's also mildly neurotoxic and myotoxic.

Mulga Snakes will feed on any small animal, though they do have a preference for other snakes and lizards. Research is currently being undertaken using the Mulga Snake venom to help people suffering with blood clots. The Mulga Snake venom has strong anti-coagulant properties, which prevent the blood from clotting.The Mulga Snake is an egg layer, with females producing on average 12 eggs per clutch.

Did you know...

• Mulga snakes have the largest venom output of any Australian snake.
• The Mulga Snake venom has strong anti-coagulant properties, which prevent the blood from clotting.
• Mulga snakes will feed on any small animal, though they do have a preference for other snakes and lizards.
• The mulga snake is in the Black Snake family, but because of its brown colour these animals are often thought to be in the Brown Snake family.

Distribution of Mulga Snakes in Australia:

A large adult Mulga Snake can reach a length of 3 metres.

Coastal Taipan

Oxyuranus scutellatus The Coastal Taipan is Australia's longest venomous snake. The maximum length recorded was from a 3.3-metre-long snake caught at Tully in the early 1960s. The average length of a Coastal Taipan caught nowadays is about 2 metres.The venom of the Coastal Taipan contains a potent procoagulant, and a presynaptic neurotoxin called taipoxin. This toxin also attacks muscles, releasing myoglobin and muscle enzymes, such as creatine kinase. The Coastal Taipan is mainly diurnal (active during the day) and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk), though is sometimes nocturnal.The only record of a Taipan from Brisbane was in 1958 from the suburb of Runcorn.

The Taipan is people-shy and rat hungry. Through this diet of rats the Coastal Taipan has evolved a unique hunting technique, that, when coupled with a venom powerful enough to subdue large rats quickly, aids in the hunter not being killed by its prey. The Taipan uses a 'snap and release' bite. Once the Taipan bites the prey item it quickly pulls back from the animal, and waits for the prey's demise. When hunting rats this snap and release biting techniqueprevents the rat from inflicting a fatal bite on the Taipan's slender and vulnerable neck.

The Taipan is an egg layer, producing up to24 eggs in a clutch. These hatch in about 60 days. The newly-hatched snakes, being approximately 36 cm in length, will begin feeding on small mice.

Did you know...

• The coastal taipan is Australia's longest venomous snake. The maximum length recorded was from a 3.3-metre-long snake caught at Tully in the early 1960s.
• The venom of the Coastal Taipan contains a potent blood thickener, and it also attacks muscles and the nervous system.
• Not one to be messed with! The only record of a Taipan from Brisbane was in 1958 from the suburb of Runcorn.
• The Taipan is an egg layer, producing up to 24 eggs in a clutch. These hatch in about 60 days. The newly-hatched snakes, being approximately 36 cm in length, will begin feeding on small mice.

Where Coastal Taipans are found in Australia:

Inland Taipan

Oxyuranus microlepidotus or the Inland Taipan

The world's most toxic snake venom belongs to the animal you are now looking at. It is 50 times more lethal than the venom of the Indian Cobra. An average bite from an adult Inland Taipan is enough to kill 250,000 mice. This venom is strongly neurotoxic and has been shown to produce presynaptic ultrastructural changes in the rat diaphragm, preventing the animal from breathing.

The Inland Taipan is seldom seen by humans, in fact this animal was only recognised as a Taipan in 1974. In the areas where these animals live, summer ground temperatures often exceed 50 degrees Celcius. The snakes shelter in the deep cracks in the ground, where the temperature drops by up to 18 degrees Celcius.

The Inland Taipan needs to be careful when hunting rats. Having powerful venom is of little consequence if the prey item you've just sunk your fangs into turns and snaps your neck with one bite of its jaws. This is the reason Taipans use the 'snap and release' technique. Bite, move back quickly, and wait. It knows once its venom is delivered, it will be only a short time to wait for its victim to die and be ready for eating.

The only recorded bites from the Inland Taipan come from keepers, but there has never been a human fatality. In the wild their lives revolve around rat plagues - feast, breed and then die back with the next famine. The Inland Taipan is an egg layer, depositing 10 to 18 eggs deep underground during the summer months.

Did you know...

• The inland taipan has the world's most toxic snake venom. It is 50 times more lethal than the venom of the Indian Cobra.
• An average bite from an adult inland taipan is enough to kill 250,000 mice. This venom attacks the nervous system.
• The inland taipan is seldom seen by humans. In fact, this animal was only recognised as a taipan in 1974. The only recorded bites from the inland taipan are to people who keep the species.

Where in Australia Inland Taipan can be seen:

Inland Taipan uses the 'snap and release' technique when hunting rats to avoid being bitten by their prey when they've envenomated it.

Western Tiger Snake

Notechis scutatus occidentalis or the Western Tiger Snake

Western Tiger Snake is common over most of its range in south-western Western Australia. The stunning yellow pattern is typical of the Western Tiger Snake. The Western Tiger Snake shelters in or under fallen and rotting timber, in abandoned animal burrows, and under rocks and dense vegetation. Like all members of the Tiger Snake group, this subspecies is capable of delivering a fatal bite to a human.

Adults hunt for frogs, lizards, small mammals, and nesting birds during the day and evening, and are known to hunt for frogs on wet nights. The Western Tiger Snake can get up to about 1.6 metres in length. When they feel threatened they flatten their neck out to make themselves look bigger. Like the other Tiger Snake subspecies, Western Tiger Snakes produce live young. Up to 90 young can be produced in a single litter, but between 10 and 30 is a more common litter size.

Did you know...

• The stunning yellow pattern is typical of western tiger snakes.
• Like all members of the Tiger Snake group, this subspecies is capable of delivering a fatal bite to a human.
• When the Western Tiger Snake feels threatened they flatten their neck out to make themselves look bigger.
• Like the other tiger snake subspecies, western tiger snakes produce live young.

Where in Australia Western Tiger Snake are found:

Up to 90 Western Tiger snake young can be produced in a single litter, but between 10 and 30 is a more common litter size.

Common Tiger Snake

Notechis scutatus or the Common Tiger Snake

The Common Tiger Snake is found in Victoria and southern New South Wales, extending up into south-eastern Queensland. Tiger Snakes are often found in close proximity to water sources. This is because this is where you find one of their favourite foods - frogs.Tiger snakes numbers seem to have declined in recent years. This has been attributed to two reasons. One, Tiger Snakes often mistake poisonous Cane Toads for an edible frog and die after eating a toad. And two, with global frog numbers decreasing, some Tiger Snake populations are finding it hard to find food.

Prior to the development of antivenom, half of all bites from Tiger Snakes proved to be fatal. The venom contains multiple components, some attacking the nervous system, some targeting the blood system, and others attacking muscles.

Even though this group is second only to the Brown Snakes in terms of the number of deaths they've caused, if proper first aid is applied it's extremely unlikely to die from a Tiger Snake bite nowadays.

Did you know...

• Prior to the development of antivenom, half of all bites from Tiger Snakes proved to be fatal.
• The venom contains multiple components, some attacking the nervous system, some targeting the blood system, and others attacking muscles.
• Tiger snakes numbers seem to have declined in recent years. This might be because tiger snakes often mistake poisonous cane toads for an edible frog.

Where in Australia Common Tiger Snake dwells:

Common tiger snake group is second only to the brown snakes in terms of the number of deaths they've caused in Australia.